The Dalles’ Abby Minnick hits a return shot in her doubles match. Minnick and the Hawks played Hermiston Wednesday and tied 4-4, but won on set points, 10-8, for their first victory over the Bulldogs in a decade. Scott McMullen/Contributed photo
Johanna Wilson
Johanna Wilson
It was a banner day for The Dalles girls’ tennis team.
The Lady Riverhawks ended up in a 4-4 draw, but won on set points, 10-8, claiming victory over Hermiston for the first time in a decade Wednesday afternoon under the hot sun in league action at The Dalles High School.
“We have been anticipating this result for years,” said TD head coach Debby Jones. “It was a very hard-fought win. Several of the girls were feeling the effects of the heat and it was definitely a gut-check and yep, girls have guts too.”
In a show of leadership and tenacity, Hawk senior Johanna Wilson dealt with a bloody nose, but just stuffed some Kleenex in the nostril and played on, helping No. 1 doubles partner, Kiana Pielli, to a 7-6, 6-4 two-set triumph over Hermiston’s Mackenzie Hill and Chy Peterson.
At No. 4 doubles, the duo of Cassie Vazquez and Maggie Corey earned top billing in their match against Paula Sanchez and Adriann Stewart in two close sets.
Vazquez and Corey won the opener, 7-5, and then put the finishes touches on an impressive effort with a 6-4 tally in the second set for the sweep.
“We had some big come-from-behind wins at No. 1 and No. 4 doubles with both combos overcoming their opponents’ 4-1 leads,” Jones said. “The girls wanted this and it was great to see the individual and team effort come through.”
Robin Pashek pushed Hermiston’s Katelynn Millard to the brink and scored a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. Added to that, Tiani Langston continued her surge with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lindsey McAllister in a No. 4 singles contest.
Jocelyn Hernandez lost her No. 2 singles match in straight sets and Brittany Bernstein came up just short in her No. 4 match, a three-set battle against Breckyn Mecham.
Bernstein won the first set, 7-5, but lost the next set by two points. In the tiebreaker, Mecham garnered enough energy to secure a 10-4 win.
Rebekah Kohltfarber and Ellie Trujillo suffered the same tiebreaker fate as Bernstein after winning the opening set of their No. 2 match by a 6-4 margin.
Hermiston’s Kylie Markwick and Whitney McMahon won the second set, 6-2, and then won the tiebreaker by a 10-4 score.
Emma Smith-Ell and Abby Minnick were turned away in their No. 3 doubles match, losing two close sets to Breena Wadekamper and Reed Middleton, 6-7, 5-7.
Even with the loss of Leslie Luna-Lopez to a season-ending injury, Jones was happy to see her lineup back in full bloom, performing at a high level.
Other players have upped their game and it has shown in big wins.
Much of that help is from coaching, work ethic and sharpening every component of what it takes to be a successful player.
“We have been really working on the mental aspects of the game, as well as our conditioning,” Jones said. “I can’t thank MCMC trainer John Barresse and TDMS Middle school science teacher Raz Mason. They have played pivotal roles in our success and I can’t thank them enough.”
TD hosts Hood River at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 for another league match.
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