Lady Dog tennis goes 2-2 at Cut Bank Invitational

The Lady Dogs are hoping for nicer weather after a difficult stretch last week.

The team had their dual against Libby last Tuesday rained out, and managed only one practice before heading to the Cut Bank Invitational over the weekend.

Whitefish went 2-2 at the invitational, defeating Fergus and Cut Bank but falling to Hardin and Havre, both by a score of 4-3.

“It was just a very frustrating week,” head coach Patrick Dryden said. “We got rained out of practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So we only had one day of outdoor practice and quite frankly we looked a little rusty.”

Against Hardin, Whitefish won the No. 1-3 singles but dropped the No. 4 singles and all the doubles matchups.

“Hardin’s one of the best teams in the state,” Dryden said, adding Polson and his squad to that category. “It was a good match, we pretty much dominated the singles, they dominated the doubles.”

The deciding match came down to the No. 1 doubles, which was forfeited due to a Whitefish injury.

Across the tournament as a whole, Dryden was impressed with his singles players especially.

The top three singles players of Gracie Smyley, Claire Carloss and Jesse Grawunder all went undefeated in their matches over the tournament.

“The singles lineup was rock solid. I think Gracie Smyley beat a girl from Lewistown and a girl from Hardin that both were in the state tournament last year, and I would suspect them to be there this year. So that was good experience to play some top competition,” he said.

This week the team headed to Libby for a make-up dual on Tuesday after press time. On Thursday they’ll take on Columbia Falls at Flathead Valley Community College courts at 1 p.m.

The main focus for the week is just getting the practice time in, Dryden said.

“We’ve got to have some practice, drill work. I think we’ve had one outdoor practice all year. So this is really a crucial week,” he said.

Havre 4, Whitefish 3

SINGLES: 1, Gracie Smyley (W) def. McKenzie Tommerup 8-0; 2, Claire Carloss (W) def. Kassidy Compton 8-1; 3, Juesse Grawunder def. Tamera O’Leary 8-3; 4, Sylvia Wilting (H) vs. Anyah Cripe 8-2.

DOUBLES: 1, Marcee Murphy/Devyn Solomon (H) def. Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer 8-6; 2, Cassidy Acor Kadyn Acor (H) won by forfeit 1-0; 3, Teagan Fee/Tiffany Ralph (H) def. Ali Hirsch/Lauren Brown 8-2.

Hardin 4, Whitefish 3

SINGLES: 1, Gracie Smyley (W) def. Abi Noteboom 8-1; 2, Claire Carloss (W) def. Deidra Don’t Mix 8-4; 3, Jesse Grawunder (W) def. Boonista Apichartiwat 8-7 (4); 4, Jade Cruse (H) def. Lauren Brown 8-4.

DOUBLES: 1, Makiko Reisig/Katie Murdock (H) def. Olivia Potthoff/Aubrey Hanks 8-0; 2, Riley Green/Jonna Lind def. Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer 8-5; 3, ESlizabeth Black Eagle/Melisas Old Crane (H) def. Ali Hirsch/Stacia Trember 8-2.

Fergus 0, Whitefish 7

SINGLES: 1, Gracie Smyley (W) def. Tessa Gatz (F) 8-1; 2, Jesse Grawunder (W) def. Marla Villaruel 8-4; 3, Lauren Brown (W) def. Ellie Kuhlmann 8-0; 4, WF win by forfeit.

DOUBLES: 1, Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer win by forfeit; 2, Claire Carloss/Aubrey Hanks won by forfeit 1-0; 3, Ali Hirsch/Anya Cripe won by forfeit.

Whitefish 4, Cut Bank 3

SINGLES: 1, Gracie Smyley (W) def. Lily Overstreet 8-0; 2, Claire Carloss (W) def. Joscelynn Mills 8-1; 3, Jesse Grawunder (W) def. Falon Big Spring 8-0; 4, CB win by forfeit.

DOUBLES: 1, Madi Seifert/Katelyn Edinger def. Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer 8-6; 2, Macee Barry/Jaycee Frydenlund def. Ali Hirsch/Lauren Brown 8-2; 3, Anyah Cripe/Stacia Tremper def. Hailee Edinger/Emaly Boggs 8-1.