Eagles decision Hutch, 4-3

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Numbers are one of those annoying little things coaches have to deal with.

By the numbers, it shouldn't have been this close. By the numbers, after all, the New Ulm High Eagles had blanked the Hutchinson Tigers 7-0 only a week and a half ago.

This time, the numbers were a little closer. But one number was in favor of the Eagles -- New Ulm High picked up wins in three of the four singles matches and edged Hutchinson 4-3 Wednesday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Section 2-2A Southern Division team tennis tournament.

"We knew it was going to be closer," New Ulm High coach Pat Reedy said. "We beat them 7-0 earlier, but two of those matches went three sets."

It was the Eagles' depth in singles that proved decisive. New Ulm (12-6) got victories from senior Allison Sprung, junior Meghan Reedy and Katie Hildebrandt, and all were comfortable.

The Eagles' only loss in singles was at No. 1. The Tigers' Lindsay Manthei topped Brittany Gorres 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.

"I wasn't tired, and I felt like I was hitting the ball pretty good," Gorres said. "I tried to think the same way (in the second set) -- the tiebreaker could've gone either way. She was pretty much the same as the first time I played her. And the last time, it was really windy, too. ... I just made a lot of errors."

The first set was as equal as the score indicated. Neither player took a clear advantage. Both Gorres and Manthei took turns testing the other, often separated by long exchanges from the baseline.

It was in the second set, after losing the tiebreaker, that Gorres faltered. Just the reverse of the first meeting this season between Manthei and Gorres.

In that match, Gorres won the first set tiebreaker and then went on to dispatch Manthei in the second set.

Gorres stayed close early in the second set with Manthei, trailing only 2-1 after three games. But the Tiger senior bore down and won four of the last five games, mixing in winners with points earned on unforced errors by Gorres.

"That's the way it usually goes with tiebreakers," Reedy said. "The person who wins the tiebreaker will go on to win the next set. But the fact Brittany won a couple of games showed she didn't give up."

The remainder of the Eagles singles lineup was dominant. Sprung routed the Tigers' Nicole Lange 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.

"I think I played really well," Sprung said. "I kept the ball in play and finally she would make an error. I was trying to outlast her. I didn't have to try for all the hard angle shots today."

Meghan Reedy also cruised, taking an easy 6-2, 6-0 victory from the Tigers' Katie Ward at No. 3 singles. At No. 4 singles, New Ulm High sophomore Katie Hildebrandt had a battle in the first set, winning 6-4, but cruised to a 6-0 second-set win.

"Katie's really steady," Pat Reedy said. "You need a player like that at No. 4. Knowing that the match was riding on her shoulders, I was very comfortable with that. She's got the right demeanor and she takes that demeanor on the court with her."

New Ulm High's doubles teams didn't fare as well, dropping two of the three matches. Shannon Gorres and Alisha Witt at No. 1 doubles were the lone Eagle winners, defeating Cassie Linder and Kelli Compton of Hutchinson 6-3, 7-5.

At No. 2 doubles, the Tigers' Libby Douglas and Nancy Winkler outlasted Leah Pederson and Theresa Schuck, taking a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 win. In the No. 3 doubles match, Hutchinson's Alysa Ohland and Kiley Cannon needed three sets to dispatch the Eagles' Cari Hoffmann and Sheena Stueber 7-5, 1-6, 7-5.

Shannon Gorres and Witt not only successfully fought the breezy conditions, but used the wind to their advantage. The Tigers' Linder and Compton both often aggressively charged the net, and when the wind was in their faces, the Eagle seniors lobbed balls over the heads of the Hutchinson duo to have the wind rain them down for winners near the baseline.

"Those two are going to win nine of 10 times they play," Pat Reedy said. "That comes with experience. They have a sense of angles. ... They have the whole package."

In an exhibition match, Hutchinson's Danielle Rueb and Emily Maurer defeated the Eagles' Katie Prochniak and Jennifer Harmening 6-2.

Now another set of numbers will test the Eagles. New Ulm High will meet the No. 1 seed of the Northern Division -- Litchfield. And the Dragons clipped the Eagles 6-1 in the teams' earlier match.

No matter, the Eagles are still excited to be playing at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter Monday.

"I think that it's just awesome," Strung said as the team match was still up in the air. "I think we've got a strong team. I have confidence we're going to play at The Bubble."