The Dickinson High girls tennis team got back on track with a steady win in its final home meet of the season on Tuesday.
The Midgets took five singles matches and two doubles matches in a 7-2 nonconference win over Baker, Mont., at the DHS tennis courts.
"A lot of it has to do with playing a lot of tennis outside," Dickinson head coach James Kramer said. "We are becoming more consistent. They all competed very well. Even in the matches we lost, they went three sets."
The course of the season has been full of ups and downs for the Midgets. However, Kramer said the kids are finally starting to put everything together during the most important time of the year -- the postseason.
"Things are starting to click a little bit and it's at the end of the season when you want them to," Kramer said. "You practice for the end of the season and you prepare all year long, so you are ready for this next couple weeks."
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Lindsey Bakken, Meryl Kovacs, Mariah Jorda, McKenna Love and Kayla Wallace all took singles victories against Baker. The doubles teams of Kovacs and Jorda won No. 1 doubles and Bakken and Love took No. 2 doubles.
Dickinson has a roster full of juniors and sophomores with a freshman sprinkled in the doubles teams. The team is still learning how to work through the ups and downs of the season. But, Kramer said the team is hitting its stride getting to play outside consistently.
"This season has probably been more mental than physical," Kramer said. "There have been so many ups and downs. You really have to credit the kids for sticking with it.
"We started outside with really good weather and there were three weeks of garbage and we had to go back inside. That totally changes the mentality of how you practice. Practices get stale and they aren't as fun. It also condenses your season is into such a short window."
The Midgets continue their season traveling to Fargo for a dual against Fargo South at noon Friday and for the Fargo Invitational on Saturday. Kramer knows it will be a prime opportunity for the players to get many matches in during a short period of time.
"We're done with conference play, so everything is set as far WDA goes," Kramer said. "Now, it's about the individual side on how the season ends. Whether the kids are playing doubles or singles, the kids are going to get a lot of playing time on Saturday."
Dickinson 7, Baker, Mont., 2
Singles: 1, Lindsey Bakken, D, def. Kyli Gentilini, 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5. 2, Meryl Kovacs, D, def. Kylie Hadley, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. 3, Mariah Jorda, D, def. Savannah Miller, 6-4, 6-4. 4, McKenna Love, D. def. Margaret Vecker, 6-0, 6-0. 5, Savannah Hickey, B, def. Shaelynn Roller, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5. 6, Kayla Wallace, D, def. Braylea Wyrick, 6-0, 6-0.
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Doubles: 1, Kovacs/Jorda, D, def. Hickey/Wyrick, 8-2. 2, Bakken/Love D, def. Beyers/Koenig, 8-0. 3, Gentilini/Hadley, B, def. Roller/Ireland Jung, 8-4.
