BRAINERD -- The Bemidji High School girls tennis team finally met its match Tuesday in a battle of unbeatens. The Lumberjacks suffered their first defeat of the season in a 6-1 loss at Brainerd.
Savannah Haugen picked up Bemidji’s lone win of the day at No. 1 singles, as she beat Kate Kurtzman 6-2, 6-1. The Bemidji junior had previously defeated Kurtzman in last year’s individual subsection finals.
Emily Dondelinger, Tatum Offerdahl and Darby Neis each fell in the remaining singles matches.
Lexi Leitner and Nettie Kimble forced a third set at No. 1 doubles before falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Chloe Hasbargen and Paige Anderson lost a first-set tiebreaker in a 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 loss at No. 2 doubles, as each duo lost for the first time this season. Margie Anderson and Mollie Rupp fell short at No. 3 doubles, 6-2, 6-3.
The Lumberjacks are now 7-1, while Brainerd improved to 8-0.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tuesday’s match will be the Warriors’ last for at least two weeks. Brainerd High School announced Tuesday it will move to distance learning for the next two weeks due to a cluster of COVID-19 cases at the school.
Bemidji, meanwhile, will host Fergus Falls at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, in the team’s final home match of the regular season.
