Dickinson girls tennis team falls to Demons

• Brooke Lietzke

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Dickinson senior Brooke Lietzke goes low to return a shot on Thursday during a girls tennis match against Bismarck High at the DHS courts.

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After a string of tough losses, Lindsey Bakken is starting to find her groove in the late part of the season for the Dickinson High girls tennis team.

Bakken was the lone singles winner as Bismarck High defeated Dickinson 7-2 in a West Region dual on Thursday at the DHS tennis courts.

“She had lost some real close matches earlier in the season,” Dickinson head coach James Kramer said. “She’s now strung a few wins together and that’s good to see.”

The sophomore at No. 4 singles defeated Jenna Andre in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. With the win, Bakken now has back-to-back wins against West Region opponents.

Dickinson’s other winner was in No. 3 doubles. Mariah Jorda and Meryl Kovacs teamed up to defeated Rachel Dodd and Rachel Schumaier 6-4, 7-5.

The weather conditions were breezy, but the wind didn’t gust as bad as it did when Bismarck St. Mary’s came to town. Kramer said no one complained and everyone battle through the elements.

“We played that match (St. Mary’s) outside and that’s a good indicator of just acclimating kids to this type of weather,” Kramer said. “Not one of them questioned why we were playing outside today.”

The Midgets start the two-day Fargo Invitational today. It’s Dickinson’s first chance to play teams from the East Region.

“On Friday, we play the team part of the tournament and that’s where we get to try out some new lineups to get ready for our postseason play,” Kramer said. “On Saturday, which is the individual part, the girls will get to see all new players. They are going to get a lot of tennis, which is good for this time in the season.”

Singles: 1, Tyne Oberlander, B, def. Brooke Lietzke, 6-3, 6-2. 2, Alek Haugen, B, def. Sydney Smutzler, 6-2, 6-2. 3, Rachel Dodd, B, def. Alex Simonieg, 6-0, 6-0. 4, Lindsey Bakken, D, def. Jenna Andre, 6-4, 6-1. 5, Jazmy Obean, B, def. Mariah Jorda, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. 6, Rachel Schumaier, B, def. ReAnna Peterson, 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles: 1, Overlander/Haugen, B, def. Lietzke/Bakken, 6-3, 6-0. 2, Andre/Obean, B, def. Simonieg/Smutzler, 6-3, 6-4. 3, Jorda/Meryl Kovacs, D, def. Dodd/Schumaier, 6-4, 7-5.

Tags: dickinson midgets, bismarck demons, sports, tennis, midgets, preps