September 16, 2020 at 12:11 p.m.
Antigo downs Hodag tennis 5-2 to seize GNC control
Antigo downs Hodag tennis 5-2 to seize GNC control
Rhinelander, looking for its 10th title in 11 GNC seasons, was unable to hold off the Red Robins on the road Tuesday night, getting swept in doubles en route to a 5-2 loss at the Elleson Tennis Courts.
Both Rhinelander and Antigo entered the night undefeated in GNC play and with 50 points in the conference standings. The result moved Antigo six points clear of Rhinelander with two conference matches remaining for both teams.
With a changed conference format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hodags will not get another chance to face Antigo and chip into the deficit as this year's GNC tournament has been canceled.
"We knew it was going to be a tight match. We played hard. We played tough. Obviously we didn't end on top, but we can still walk away proud of that," Rhinelander coach Matt Nichols said. "It does not look good, numbers-wise, for that conference crown, but we've had a good season and we'll continue to play our hardest. That's what we're looking for beyond that conference title."
Antigo particularly flexed its muscle in the doubles flights, taking all three matches. Greta Parsons and Jenna Lenzner got past Rhinelander's Kathryn Borski and Taylor Riopel 6-3, 6-0 in the top flight while Ellie Preboski and Ellie Stank defeated Alexis Engelking and Kylee Younker 6-2, 6-0 in the second flight.
The closest of the three doubles matches came in the third flight where Rhinelander's Paige Oleinik and Shayla Coppenger forced a third set but fell to Faith Bussiere and Ellie Packard, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.
"I think their doubles teams, they did a really nice job at the net," Nichols said. "I saw them pinching into the middle, taking away a lot of shots. That was big. Those were very consistent. Looking at schedules, I think they had some good matches early on that kind of tested where they're at. I think that helped them fine-tune their skills before they met us later down the road."
Both of Rhinelander's victories were hard-fought. Kaylee Pontell rallied to defeat Margo Kelly 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles while Tori Riopel fended off Callie Hubatch, 7-6 (1), 6-2 at No. 4 singles.
Pontell had her back against the wall after dropping the opening set, and was down to Kelly 1-4 in the second before reeling off a string of five straight games to seize momentum and force a third set.
"I think, some of the shots she normally hits she was not hitting early on, so she started backing off," Nichols said. "We worked on just getting back into hitting shots she knows she can hit, starting to place the ball in different spots. She started to do that and that really lit her game up and it ended with her winning the match."
Tori Riopel was unable to hold serve in the 12th game of the first set, forcing a tiebreaker with Hubatch, but Riopel controlled the tiebreaker. She took the first three points and never looked back.
"She knew from the start it was going to be a competitive match. They were both solid hitters, put some pace on the ball, placed the ball. That first set, no surprise, went to a tiebreaker and the result just showed Tori's drive and competitiveness," Nichols said. "She fought really hard. She knew kind of how to play the girl's weaknesses and strengths. I think her game picked up a little bit too. She was hitting shots that she normally would. She finished off strong in that second set, which was fun to see."
Annika Johnson could not sustain a fast start for Rhinelander in the top singles flight. She ran off the first three games of the first set against Antigo's Avery Nicholson, but Nicholson took the next six to take the first set, and then four of the first five games in the second as she never let Johnson back into the match.
"Annika had a great start. She was playing really confidently, good movement on the court and I think Avery, she might have had a slower start, probably, for her," Nichols said. "After those first couple games, Annika was playing well, but Avery starting playing better. She was not missing shots that she previously had been. They had some really good rallies, long rallies. They both played well, but Avery ended up on top."
Kat Metropulos fell to Brecklyn Flannery 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Flannery defeated Metropulos twice during the regular season last year, but Metropulos beat Flannery in the GNC tournament to take the conference championship at No. 4 singles.
Rhinelander (5-1, 4-1 Great Northern) hosted third-place Pacelli on Thursday in the Hodags' final home match of the regular season. Rhinelander closes out the regular season next week in a non-conference match at Ashland on Tuesday and at Lakeland next Thursday.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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