Tennis: Niwot dominates Colorado Academy in opener

The Niwot High School girls tennis team opened the season on Wednesday, March 8 with a dominant 7-0 win at home over Colorado Academy. Head coach Aimee Keronen had earlier predicted a tough match, calling Colorado Academy “one of the more challenging opponents” on the schedule. Niwot encountered little resistance, rolling to straight-set victories in all but one of the afternoon’s seven matches.

At number one singles, Taylor Thulson won 6-2, 6-2. “I surprised myself a little bit,” said Thulson, about her ability to consistently track down and return would-be winners from hard-hitting opponent Savannah Mease, which proved the difference in the match.

Julia Pentz at number two singles cruised to an easy 6-0, 6-1 victory. “It felt good to just get out on the court and get the early nerves out of the way,” said a smiling Pentz afterwards. At number three singles Rachel Drake won 6-1, 6-3.

Number one doubles team Tehnley White and Sophie Williams took the first set at 6-2 and went up 5-3 in the second. The final game carried a bit of tension with several deuce points before White and Williams finished it off at 6-3.

Number two doubles team Amanda Duquette and Erin O’Neill won 6-1, 6-3, and number three doubles Lily Sieben and Avery O’Neill finished at 6-3, 6-1.

The afternoon’s only drama came in the final match of the day. Number four doubles team Yui Ishikawa and Maedee Trank-Greene lost the first set 1-6, only to come back to win 6-3 in the second, finishing the match off with a 1-0 win (14-12) in the final tie-breaking game.

“Our girls are scrappy, they’re fighters,” said Keronen. “This was a good start to the season, sets us on the right path towards our goals.”