Wildkat netters go 1-2 for the week

The Columbia Falls girls tennis team was blanked by Polson and Hamilton last week, but they beat Stevensville 5-2.

The Wildkats fell to Polson 7-0 on April 12. Natalie Law at No. 2 singles had to take a loss by forfeit because she left the match for a district music festival.

The Kats faced Stevensville and Hamilton away on April 14. They opened with a loss to the Hamilton Broncs but came back and played better against the Stevi Yellowjackets.

“Hamilton has a strong girls team,” coach Jerry Smalley said. “Playing up makes you better, and it showed when we played Stevi.”

The win also helped team morale.

“It was the best outing of the year for Hailey (Sapa), and it was good to start seeing smiles on our doubles players faces,” Smalley said.

Gabrielle Stenger, Emma Covill and Sapa all notched singles victories against Stevi. The doubles team of Gabby Keller and Micinze Christopherson also got their first win of the year.

The team played Libby on Tuesday after presstime. They face Glacier High School on Thursday in Kalispell and Polson, and then Dillon and Mission, in St. Ignatius, away on Saturday.

Polson 7, Columbia Falls 0

Singles - Whitney Zimmerman, P, def. Gabrielle Stenger, 6-3, 6-2; Sara Robinson, P, def. Natalie Law, by forfeit; Kylee Wegner, P, def. Emma Covill, 6-2, 6-4; Lauren Dupuis, P, def. Hailey Sapa, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles - Jordan Quinn/Karly Rochin, P, def. Mckenna Emmerich/Micinze Christopherson, 6-0, 6-0; Kenzie Clay/Mollybeth Hendrix, P, def. Maggee Panasuck/Gabby Keller, 6-0, 6-0; Audra Engebretson/Karmen Borchers, P, def. Courtney Seward/Kira Kamrud 6-1, 6-0.

C-Falls 5, Stevensville 2

Singles - Gabrielle Stenger, CF, def. Mersadiez Leese, 7-5, 6-4; Alex Doll, S, def. McKenna Emmerich, 6-2, 6-2; Emma Covill, CF, def. Kayla Dufresne, 6-2, 6-1; Hailey Sapa, CF, def. Nani Murray, 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9-7).

Doubles - Gabby Keller/McCinze Christopherson, CF, def. Rachel Coyle/Katelin Hancock, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0; Sandy Vogel/Mersadiez Leese, S, def. Maggie Panasuk/Kira Kamrud, CF, 6-1, 6-4; Courtney Seward/Kierstan Wendt, CF, def. Lakota Brist/Katelin Hancock, S, 6-3, 6-1.

Hamilton 7, C-Falls, 0

Singles — Mary Conwell, H, def. Gabrielle Stenger, 6-1, 6-0; Kim Lamar, H., def. McKenna Emmerich, 6-0, 6-0; Hannah Peterson, H, def. Emma Covill, 6-0, 6-2; Malisa Dowdy, H, def. Hailey Sapa, 6-4, 7-5.

Doubles — Erica Huppert/Meg Maclean, H, def. Gabby Keller/Micinze Christopherson, 6-2, 6-0; Jill Toews and Ceili Quinlan, def. Maggie Panasuk/Kira Kamrud, 6-1, 6-1; Gina Schmidt/Beth Bitterman 6-0, 6-2.