Lady Dogs net trio of wins

The Lady Bulldogs won all three of their duals last week, two by a 4-3 margin.

Whitefish traveled to Libby Tuesday, coming away with a 4-3 win. On Thursday, they battled with Columbia Falls and Flathead at the Flathead Valley Community College Courts.

They defeated the Wildkats 6-1 and Flathead 4-3.

Against Libby, head coach Patrick Dryden said the day came down to the final match, singles No. 3 Bulldog Jesse Grawunder against Libby’s Starlyn Mayberry.

Grawunder won her first set, but dropped the second. She won the tiebreaker set 7-6 (1) for the team win.

“It was a real gutty performance by Jesse Grawunder,” Dryden said. “She was down 5-2 in that third set, so I was really proud of her grit.”

Whitefish swept the singles matches against Libby, but lost all three of the doubles.

Against Columbia Falls, the team won at the No. 1, 2 and 4 singles positions and all three doubles.

In the nonconference battle against Flathead, Whitefish picked up wins at the singles No. 1 and 4 spots and doubles No. 1 and 2.

This time things came down to the second doubles team of Abigail Shaffer and Payton Kastella, who were able to seal the deal for their team in two sets.

Gracie Smyley went undefeated on the week, and the No. 1 doubles of Olivia Potthoff and Aubrey Hanks won both their Thursday matches.

Dryden also pointed to his three freshmen on varsity, Anyah Cripe, Lauren Brown and Emma Shaffer.

“They’re very dedicated toward tennis and they’re making improvements,” he said.

This week Whitefish heads down to the Bitterroot for a lot of tennis.

On Friday they’ll take on Hamilton and Corvallis in a doubleheader, followed by the Bitterroot Invitational on Saturday.

“Hopefully we just get a lot of good competition,” Dryden said. “I think singles wise we’re where we need to be. Even with the inclement weather, our singles players have been able to get enough time in at the Summit. I feel like we’re behind in doubles just because we haven’t had the practice time. I think the weather looks good for this week, so that’s where we need to make our progress, Monday through Thursday.”

Whitefish 6, Columbia Falls 1

SINGLES — Gracie Smyley, W, def. Hannah Schweikert, 6-2, 6-0; Jesse Grawunder, W, def. Katy Garate, 6-1, 6-1; Maria Vizcay- Vicentin, CF, def. Stacia Tremper, 6-3, 6-3; Anyah Cripe, W, def. Julie Sowerine, 6-2, 7-5.

DOUBLES — Aubrey Hanks/Olivia Potthoff, W, def. Taylor Jarrett/Cassidy Norick, 6-3, 6-1; Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer, W, def. Grace Gedlaman/Gwen Foust, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3); Lauren Brown/Emma Shaffer, W, def. Emma Upton/Martina Heupel, 6-0, 6-2.

Whitefish 4, Flathead 3

SINGLES — Smyley, W, def. Emma Hawkins, 6-1, 6-0; Kendall Pyron, F, def. Grawunder, 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5); Alice Addington, F, def. E. Shaffer, 6-2, 7-5; Brown, W, def. Aaris Hill, 6-2. 6-1.

DOUBLES — Hanks/Potthoff, W, def. Tess Huckeba/Olivia Mohatt, 6-1, 6-3; A. Shaffer/Kastella, W, def. Sierra Dilworth/ Marcelle Mercer, 6-3, 6-4; Mikel Twichel/Avery Cherot, F, def. Cripe/Tremper, 6-1, 6-3.

Tuesday At Libby Whitefish 4, Libby 3

SINGLES — Smyley, W, def. Marissa Wood, 6-0, 6-0; Claire Carloss, W, def. Jessika Jones, 6-3, 6-2; Grawunder, W, def. Starlyn Mayberry, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (1); Potthoff, W, def. Ruby Martin, 6-2, 6-0.

DOUBLES — Elise Erickson/Ciera Lucas, L, def. Kastella/A. Shaffer, 7-5, 7-6 (7); Ivy Pierce/ Jessica Cunningham, L, def. Tremper/Brown, 6-2, 6-1; Gabby Fantozzi/Lenaigha Zeiler, L, def. E. Shaffer/Cripe, 56-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1.