‘We just got outcompeted’: Hawkettes lose 7 tiebreakers, fall to Waukee

Ankeny’s Lauren Osburn hits a shot during Monday’s dual meet against visiting Waukee. Osburn won the No. 3 singles match in straight sets, but the Warriors posted a 6-5 victory. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Ankeny girls’ tennis team finally opened its season on Monday.

The ninth-ranked Hawkettes discovered that they still have some more work to do.

Visiting Waukee bounced back from an 11-0 loss to No. 6 Ankeny Centennial on Thursday by defeating Ankeny, 6-5, in a CIML Conference dual meet on the same courts at Prairie Ridge. The Warriors (1-1) won all five matches that went to a decisive third-set tiebreaker.

“After losing all their tiebreakers to Centennial last week, Waukee played to win,” said Ankeny coach Steve Smith. “We were just a little too tentative under that pressure, which led to us losing all seven tiebreakers.”

Ankeny got wins in singles from Kira Smith at the No. 1 position and Lauren Osburn at the No. 3 spot. Smith then teamed up with Payton Blume for a victory at No. 1 doubles.

**Ankeny’s Sydney Otto reaches for the ball during her No. 2 singles match against Waukee. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

The Hawkettes also got wins from the No. 2 doubles team of Sydney Otto and Sophie Schmitz, as well as the No. 5 duo of Mallory De Haan and Samara Feldhacker.

“We had the talent advantage on every court despite not having Payton for singles,” Smith said. “We showed that talent by dominating many sets, but we just couldn’t maintain our level of play the entire match. We just got outcompeted tonight.”

Smith said he hopes his team can learn from the close losses.

“The old adage is pressure is a privilege, and the team that plays to win under that pressure typically beats the team that plays not to lose,” he said. “I hope we can take a page from Waukee’s book and play with a chip on our shoulders when we’re privileged enough to be under that pressure again.”

**Ankeny’s Madalyn Kolb talks with coach Steve Smith during a break in her No. 4 singles match against Waukee. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

The Hawkettes will travel to Johnston on Tuesday for another conference dual meet against the No. 8 Dragons (1-0).

Here are the match-by-match results from Monday’s meet:

Waukee 6, Ankeny 5

Singles–Smith (A) beat G. Martens, 6-0, 6-2; Medina (W) beat Otto, 6-1, 2-6, 10-8; Osburn (A) beat A. Martens, 6-2, 6-4; Suresh (W) beat Kolb, 2-6, 6-4, 10-4; Anbukumar (W) beat Schmitz, 7-6, 2-6, 10-5; Bahwa (W) beat Rohlfing, 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles–Smith-Blume (A) beat G. Martens-A. Martens, 6-1, 6-3; Otto-Schmitz (A) beat Medina-Suresh, 6-4, 6-3; Anbukumar-Bahwa (W) beat Osburn-Kolb, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5; Mineck-Mizushima (W) beat Rohlfing-Francel, 1-6, 7-6, 10-6; De Haan-Feldhacker (A) beat McCrary-Schwickerath, 6-2, 6-1.