Highland girls tennis team caps busy week with 3rd place finish at Alton Invitational

Highland’s girls tennis team started this week off in blazing fashion thanks to a pair of consecutive home match victories.

On Sept. 14, the Lady Bulldogs blasted Waterloo 9-0, and then on Tuesday, Highland trounced Collinsville 9-0.

Against Waterloo, the Lady Bulldogs singles flights got things rolling early as Hannah Geest won her No. 1 singles match over Waterloo’s Haley Storm 6-2, 7-5. Sidney Basler continued her recent strong play with a dominating 6-0, 6-0 win over Teagan Nodorft of Waterloo at No. 2 singles.

Brianna Helm handled Rylee Evers of Waterloo 6-0. 6-1 to claim the No. 3 singles match. Jenna Fenton stopped Rory Bradley of Waterloo 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles, while Krista Rittenhouse blanked Maria Willson of Waterloo 6-0, 6-0 to take the No. 5 singles flight. Katie Augustin closed out the singles at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Waterloo’s Erin Chaffin.

In doubles play, Highland took the No. 1 doubles match 6-4, 6-4, won at No. 2 doubles 6-2, 6-3, and won at No. 3 doubles 6-3, 6-2.

Highland made life tough on Collinsville on Sept. 15. The Lady Bulldogs continued their strong net play and shot-making in the singles flights against the visiting Kahoks.

At No. 1 singles, Geest handled Collinsville’s Lindsay Taylor 6-5, 6-2 and Basler made short work of Collinsville’s Alysa Garcia 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Helm defeated Collinsville’s Anna Falbe 6-1, 6-3 to take the No. 3 singles match and, at No. 4 singles, Fenton knocked off Logan Phetsadasack of Collinsville 6-1, 6-2.

Rittenhouse shut down the Kahoks Abbi Olson 6-2, 6-1 to claim the No. 5 singles match and Rittenhouse wrapped up the singles flights with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Collinsville’s Brinna Shea at No. 6 singles.

HHS breezed in the doubles flights with little trouble, winning the No. 1 doubles match 8-3, the No. 2 doubles match 8-3, and the No. 3 doubles match 8-3.

Highland competes well, but falls at Triad

On Sept. 17, the Lady Bulldogs ventured over to Troy to take on Mississippi Valley Conference rival Triad. Highland battled the host Knights tooth and nail on the court for over three hours but came up short in dropping the match 9-0.

“Going against a good Triad team, we needed good focus and good concentration and we had that,” Highland coach Matt Pellock said. “We just couldn’t quite get any wins.”

Geest lost to Jocelyn Carmody of Triad at No. 1 singles 2-6, 2-6. Basler fell to Triad’s Haley Jackson at No. 2 singles 0-6, 6-3. 4-10 in a three-set super tiebreaker. At No. 3 singles, Helm lost to Grace Mackling of Triad 2-6, 4-6.

At No. 4 singles, Jenna Fenton lost to Triad’s Darian Liley 2-6, 0-6. Rittenhouse lost a long super tiebreaker match to Triad’s Karen Speer 6-7, 6-3, 8-10 at No. 5 singles. In the No. 6 singles match, Augustin fell to Triad’s Samantha Hartoin 5-7, 3-6.

The doubles flights also were tough sledding for the Lady Bulldogs against Triad. Geest and Rittenhouse dropped their No. 1 doubles match 2-6, 3-6. At No 2. doubles, Basler and Helm lost 3-6, 2-6, and, at No. 3 doubles, Augustin and Fenton lost 6-7, 0-6.

“There were a lot of close matches that could have turned out differently if we could have gotten a win but now we have some experience against them (Triad) so next time it will turn out different,” Pellock said.

Highland takes 3rd place in Alton Invite

Just two days after losing a tough match to Triad, Highland ended the week on a strong note thanks to a third place finish in the Alton Invite Tournament at Alton High School.

Highland outplayed host Alton and posted a 5-0 shutout win to take the third place match the tournament Saturday afternoon.

“The girls got better throughout the day (Saturday) and finished things out with a nice 5-0 in against Alton for a third place finish,” Pellock said. “Everyone did their part today and was glad to be able to play in the tournament.”

After losing to Triad 3-2 in their first match in the five-game format Friday afternoon, the Lady Bulldogs bounced back in their first match Saturday with a strong 4-1 victory over Civic Memorial.

In No. 1 singles, Rittenhouse led the way with a 6-4, 6-1 win.

The Lady Bulldogs swept the three doubles flights as Geest and Helm won at No. 1 doubles 7-6, 7-6 while Basler and Fenton took the No. 2 doubles match 7-6, 6-4. At No. 3 doubles Augustin and Lauren Herman won 7-5, 6-2.

“They had to grind out some matches early against CM, winning some tight doubles matches at all three spots,” Pellock said.

HHS rolls against Alton

Against Alton, the Lady Bulldogs rolled through singles and doubles play. Geest won her No. 1 singles match over Alton’s Lydia Criveau 6-1, 6-4 and Fenton downed Anna Somerhof 6-2, 6-0 to win the No. 2 singles flight.

Basler and Rittenhouse led the doubles flights for HHS with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Ainsley Fortschneider and Paige Rockholm at No. 1 doubles. Helm and Augustin teamed at No. 2 double to beat Alton’s Angelina Taul and Anna Kane 6-1, 6-3. At No. 3 doubles, Nicole Bluhm and Herman rolled to a 6-0 shutout win.

Rittenhouse had an outstanding tournament with three wins in her No. 1 flight matches.

“Extra congrats to Krista for getting three wins all at No. 1 spots,” Pellock said.

This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 1:18 AM.