Even without its top player, the Ankeny girls’ tennis team split a pair of non-conference meets on Thursday and Friday.
The Hawkettes dropped a 7-2 decision at Waterloo Columbus on Thursday before rebounding with a 6-5 victory over visiting Ottumwa on Friday. They are now 1-2 on the season.
Ankeny played without senior Kira Smith, who suffered an injury during her singles match against Valley on Tuesday.
“Kira sat to rest what we hope is just a minor abdominal strain,” said her father, Ankeny coach Steve Smith.
Sophie Schmitz played a key role in the win over Ottumwa (2-2). She won the No. 2 singles match, then teamed up with Lilith Francel for another triumph at No. 1 doubles.
“It was great Sophie was able to win both of her matches on her birthday,” Smith said.
Ankeny also got wins from the No. 2 doubles team of Olivia North and Susan Hanley and the No. 5 duo of Franchesca Maurelis Javier Ventura and Izzie Doyle to break the 3-3 tie after singles.
“Sophie and Lilith and Liv and Susan are showing they are strong doubles teams,” Smith said. “Franchesca and Izzie played well to get their first varsity doubles win.”
North and KJ Quirk had the Hawkettes’ other wins in singles. Quirk also provided the team’s lone victory in singles during the loss to Columbus (1-0).
“KJ played well to win both of her singles matches the last two meets,” Smith said. “And Liv’s singles game is starting to come around. When she plays with composure and confidence, she’s a tough matchup for any opponent.”
Here are the match-by-match results from both meets:
Waterloo Columbus 7, Ankeny 2
Singles: Holton beat Schmitz, 6-1, 6-0; Schaefer beat Francel, 6-2, 7-5; Etringer beat North, 7-5, 6-4; Merrifield beat Hanley, 6-1, 6-4; Schares beat Gorrela, 6-1, 6-2; Quirk (A) beat O’Brien, 7-5, 6-4.
Doubles: Holton-Schaefer beat Schmitz-Francel, 6-1, 6-1; North-Hanley (A) beat Schares-Tietz, 6-0, 6-4; Merrifield-O’Brien beat Quirk-Dietrich, 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7).
Ankeny 6, Ottumwa 5
Singles: Morgan (O) beat Francel, 6-2, 0-6, 1-0 (10-8); Schmitz (A) beat Keith, 6-0, 6-1; North (A) beat Barnes, 6-4, 6-3; Sertterh (O) beat Hanley, 6-3, 6-2; Linsted (O) beat Gorrela, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (13-11); Quirk (A) beat Parsypo, 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles: Francel-Schmitz (A) beat Morgan-Caldwell, 6-1, 6-3; North-Hanley (A) beat Keith-Barnes, 6-3, 6-1; Sertterh-Linsted (O) beat Quirk-Dietrich, 6-4, 6-3; Parsypo-Cordova (O) beat Gorrela-Johnson, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-4); Ventura-Doyle (A) beat Lundgren-Clay, 7-5, 6-2.