September 1, 2017 at 3:25 p.m.
Advantage Hodags
RHS tennis fends off Antigo 4-3 in battle of GNC powers
Advantage Hodags
The Hodags took care of the lower flights Thursday and edged rival Antigo 4-3 in a battle of the GNC's two top teams at the RHS tennis courts.
The win gives Rhinelander a 16-point cushion over Antigo, which has played one fewer conference match than the Hodags. Up to 14 points can be earned in each match. The same two teams will meet Tuesday in Antigo.
"I think we build on it on Tuesday and hopefully we'll give ourselves a little breathing room," Hodag coach Bob Heideman said.
The decisive match turned out to be at No. 2 singles where Rhinelander's Alex Oestreich held off Antigo's Ellie Kelly in a competitive straight-set match, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Oestreich reeled off a string of four straight games to take the opening set. She and Kelly stayed on serve virtually the entire way in the second. Leading 5-4, Oestreich had a handful of opportunities to break Kelly during her service game, but Kelly fended off all the match-point opportunities and eventually held serve.
Oestreich then quickly lost her service game to go down 5-6 and needed to break Kelly to force a tiebreaker.
"Alex doesn't panic or get down a little bit in a set," Heideman said. "I think she knows if she plays, she can work her way out of it, and she did it again tonight. We're now kind of counting on her."
Oestreich got a little help in the 12th game as Kelly double faulted twice and was broken at love. The Hodag sophomore got out to a 2-0 lead in the set tiebreaker and never trailed on her way to victory.
"I thought that Ellie played her best tennis during that streak. That's what I told Alex," Heideman said. "I didn't say that if she continues to play her best, we're in trouble. I said let's see how long she can keep it up. In the tiebreaker she started with two mistakes, when she didn't have many before that."
Rhinelander, which hasn't had a close battle in the conference race since 2011 when it held off Marshfield Columbus, started slowly Thursday trailing in the first set in six of the seven matches at one point.
"I give the girls credit. A lot of them, (it's their first) big match like this, they're young and they stuck with it and we pulled it out," Heideman said.
The Hodags were able to quickly turn a couple of those matches in their favor. At No. 3 singles, after falling behind 1-4 in the first set, Emma Roberts ran off a string of five straight games and eventually took care of Sam Belling 6-4, 6-3.
"She's very patient and just kind of waited the girl out," Heideman said of Roberts' comeback. "I think that was a big match for us. That was pivotal."
Rhinelander also eventually gained control of the match at No. 3 doubles as Jackie Wells and Savannah Chartier pulled away for a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jenna Lenzner and Julia Westen.
"Savannah Chartier's is just a scrambler and Jackie, I think, is growing into varsity," Heideman said. "It's funny. I think she's growing into it and I think last year Savannah was new to it and was feeling her way. They've come up with some nice wins for us, too."
Kenedy Van Zile was Rhinelander's only wire-to-wire winner, as she cruised past Antigo's Addie Smith in straight sets.
Van Zile's was the first win on the board for Rhinelander, which fell behind 2-1 early in the match following straight-set losses for Belinda Weddle at No. 1 singles and Livi Roberts/Haley Seefeldt at No. 1 doubles.
Wins in the No. 3 flights put the Hodags ahead 3-2 but Antigo tied it with a three-set victory at No. 2 doubles where Sydney Lenzner and Pia Spychalla defeated Madi Losch and Alexis Pyrchalla 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
After dropping the first set, Losch and Pyrchalla raced out to a 4-1 lead in the second. Lenzner and Spychalla rallied to get back on serve at 4-5 before the Hodag tandem got a break point to close out the set. Losch and Pyrchalla went up a break early in the third, 2-0, but lost five straight games from there and never regained the lead.
The Hodags travel to Green Bay today for an invite hosted by Southwest High School. Heideman said the tournament will be key preparation for Tuesday's rematch at Antigo.
"We're going to get four matches in. I'm going to tinker with the lineup and we shall see," he said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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