Kernels lose two matches

The Mitchell High School girls’ tennis team dropped a pair of matches against two conference foes in Pierre and Yankton Friday at Hitchcock Park in Mitchell.

In the second match against Yankton, Mitchell lost 6-3 but won two singles matches and one doubles match.

Head coach Pat Moller said he is pleased with how the Kernels have continued to improve from match to match.

“With our youth we try to learn and get better every match and that’s what we’re doing,” Moller said. “We worked on our net play and doubles a lot during practice and I saw improvement in that today as well.

No. 5 singles player Halle Larson beat Kim Cap 10-7, and No. 6 Sammy Pooley defeated Anna Kokesh 10-1.

The No. 2 doubles team Haley Smith and Halle Larson inched out an 11-9 victory against Yankton’s Alexa Bryan and Cap.

The Kernels were swept 9-0 against the Governors in the first match of the day.

“(Pierre) returned everyone from last season, they’re going to be a contender for conference,” Moller said.

Grace Grabenstein did not play due to a possible knee injury. A doctor’s appointment is scheduled for Wednesday.

The Kernels are back in action today in a Huron quadrangular. The match is set to start at 9 a.m. at Huron Winter Park.

“Huron is young and building a program like us, so I think that’s a team we can compete with and hopefully come out with a win,” Moller said.

Pierre 9, Mitchell 0

Singles — 1. Eileen Leong (P) def. Courtney Wells 10-5; 2. Kate Wollman (P) def. Chelsea Kracht 10-4; 3. Jolee Smith (P) def. Tatum Dean 10-5; 4. Aubrey Wald (P) def. Smith 10-3; 5. Emily Dix (P) def. Larson 10-0; 6. Emily Brusven (P) def. Pooley 10-5

Doubles — 1. Leong/Wollman (P) def. Wells/Kracht 10-4; 2. Wald/Dix (P) def. Smith/Larson 10-2; 3. Smith/Sam Beck (P) def. Pooley/Allison Buckley 10-0

Yankton 6, Mitchell 3

Singles — 1. Sarah Rockne (Y) def. Courtney Wells 10-7; 2. Sarah Santos (Y) def. Chelsea Kracht 10-4; 3. Bryan (Y) def. Tatum Dean 10-7; 4. Taylor Rothenberger (Y) def. Smith 10-6; 5. Larson (M) def. Cap 10-7; 6. Pooley (M) def. Kokesh 10-1

Doubles —1. Rockne/Rothenberger (Y) def. Wells/Kracht 10-8; 2. Smith/Larson (M) def. Bryan/Cap 11-9; 3. Santos/Kaitlyn Frank (Y) def. Pooley/Allison Buckley 10-5

Tags: tennis, updates, kernels, sports