Palmer Ridge wins versus Lewis-Palmer in early season tennis
The wind whipping across the tennis courts at Lewis-Palmer High School on March 23 would be enough to numb the hands and blunt the resolve of most players.
But Lewis-Palmer Girls Tennis Head Coach Paul Kardel laughed all that off.
“Oh, both teams are used to it,” he grinned as his team took on its down-the-road rivals.
Palmer Ridge’s Coach Carlie Capek agreed, saying everyone on the north end of town has played in Spring weather, and knew how to use the wind to their benefit.
“You can hit it hard into the wind, but you need topspin when it’s at your back,” Capek said.
In the end, Palmer Ridge would win the battle of the blustery day, earing victories in five of the seven matchups.
The home-team Rangers top doubles team of Tayla Heritsch and Alex Milner won their matchup, as did number three doubles teammates Kate Oliger and Ellie Ackerman.
Palmer Ridge players took the rest of the matchups, including the top singles matchup — an exciting battle between seniors Alexi Ellison for the Bears and Ellie Flinn. The first set was a battle, with Ellison eventually winning in a tiebreaker, 7-6, before having an easier go of it in the second match (6-3) thanks largely to a consistent backhand cross-court shot that even the blustery wind didn’t seem able to stop.
The fiercest competition of the day was on the number two singles court though, where the Bears’ sophomore with a wicked serve, Juliya Yuzkiv, won a dominating first set against Lewis-Palmer’s Maddie Thompson, only to have Thompson come back strong in the second set 3-6.
“Lewis-Palmer girls are steady,” Capek said. “They don’t miss, and it’s hard to hit winners in these conditions.”
And in the deciding third set both girls hit quite a few winners, with Yuzkiv eventually winning the tiebreaker 12-10.
“Very competitive, can’t get closer than that,” Kardel said.
The top doubles team match was also a close one Heritsch and Milner won 7-6 (7-5) in the first set, but the Bears’ Madison Schoolsky and Abby Lokowich took the second set 5-7, before the home team girls won the third set tiebreaker 10-5.
In the number-two doubles match, Amelia Kulich and Katie Miller won for the Bears in straight sets. In number four doubles, Rhian Wiltz and Mei-Li Mikos also won for the Bears.
In the third singles match Ulla Schultz of Palmer Ridge defeated Meadow Humbert in straight sets.
“It’s a good way to measure ourselves early in the season. We’re not sure if the doubles teams are set, so this is a good match to watch to see how the girls play together,” Capek said near the end of the competition.
Kardel said dealing with the weather at the start of the season in Colorado can always be a challenge.
“You can’t practice as much as you’d like to, due to cold and snow, but I think we’re coming along,” he said. “Hopefully by the end of the season, we’ll be where we should be.”
Lewis-Palmer tennis player Ellie Flinn competes March 23.
Palmer Ridge’s number one singles player Alexis Ellison serves up the ball on on March 23 at Lewis Palmer High School.