Escanaba’s Molly VanDamme perepares to serve the ball during a match against Negaunee on Sept. 13, 2023 at Escanaba High School.
Three matches in two days? For Escanaba girls tennis, it was no sweat in three match wins this week. Esky was tasked with playing two teams in one day on Tuesday. It proved to be a challenge which was not only met with flying colors by going a combined 16-0 against Munising and Menominee, but accomplished thanks to a strong preparation the day before.
“We had a really good practice (on Monday), and our team really had that show through in our first meet with Munising,” Esky coach Chris Ogren said. “Our doubles players were doing a good job picking their spots and being aggressive and patient at the right times.”
Ogren was also left impressed with the effort put forth by the doubles pairing of Val Royer and Sophie Wagner against Menominee.
“The first time we played Menominee Sophie and Val played 3 sets and were unable to finish the third before we got rained out,” Ogren said. “(Wednesday), however, Sophie and Val grabbed control early and played their best match of the year. Sophie and Val have shown flashes all year, but they really put it all together in their second match today and looked like a team that can compete with any other #3 doubles team in the UP.”
The Eskymos quickly regrouped and hit the road for a meet against Ishpeming Westwood.
On the doubles side, the Eskymos top doubles pairing battled for a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
“Sophie Wagner and Val Royer really played smart tennis all day long,” Ogren said. “Sophie and Val are both seniors and think that maturity and experience showed through today. Where younger players may have gotten rattled, Sophie and Val stayed calm and played their best tennis in the biggest moments.”
Results from Thursday’s meet at West Iron County will be available online and in print on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Munising results
Singles
Sophia Derkos (Escanaba) defeated Bailey Corcoran (Munising) 6-0, 6-0
Molly VanDamme (Esky) def. Alex Goss (Mun) 6-0, 6-1
Sam Korpi (Esky) def. Madelyn Richardson (Mun) 6-0, 6-0
Maggie Martin (Esky) def. Callie Britton (Mun) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Natalie Williams and Sam Manninen (Esky) def. Dayne Behning and Julia Prunick (Mun) 6-0,
Molly Smale and Sonya Maki (Esky) def. Kate Mattson and Jailen Hancock (Mun) 6-0, 6-1
Val Royer and Sophie Wagner (Esky) def. Tessa Salo and Emmy Crisp (Mun) 7-5, 6-0
Carly Bowden and Danni Hughes (Esky) def. Jolie Ake and Tamryn Nolan (Mun) 6-2, 6-0
Menominee results
Singles
Sophia Derkos (Esky) def. Elena Murphy (Meno) 6-1, 6-0
Molly VanDamme (Esky) def. Mackenzie Doyle (Meno) 6-3, 7-5
Sam Korpi (Esky) def. Anna Axtel (Meno) 6-1, 6-4
Maggie Martin (Esky) def. Delaney Wagner (Meno) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
Natalie Williams and Sam Manninen (Esky) def. Kamryn Olsen and Maddy Barker (Meno) 7-5, 6-1
Sophie Hill and Sonya Maki (Esky) def. Izzy Bentley and Cortney Busher (Meno) 6-0, 6-4
Val Royer and Sophie Wagner (Esky) def. Ava Chouinard and Ella Barker (Meno) 6-0, 6-1
Carly Bowden and Danni Hughes (Esky) def. Anna Marciesek and Andi Anderson (Meno) 6-0, 6-1
Westwood results
Singles
Sophia Derkos (Esky) def. Lexi Olson (WW) 6-4, 6-4
Sami Ruby (WW) def. Molly VanDamme (Esky) 6-1, 6-1
Sam Korpi (Esky) def. Emersyn Nelson (WW) 6-0, 6-4
Maggie Martin (Esky) def. Morgan Schneider (WW) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles results
Natalie Williams and Sam Manninen (Esky) def. Izzie Marta and Alyssa Couveau (WW) 6-4, 6-4
Molly Smale and Sonya Maki (Esky) def. Nolia Dawson and Kaylin Doney (WW) 7-5, 6-4
Val Royer and Sophie Wagner (Esky) def. Nilia Nurmi and Eliisa Doney (WW) 7-6(4), 7-5
Carly Bowden and Danni Hughes (Esky) def. Taylor Jackovich and Kaya Etelamaki (WW) 6-2, 6-3
