Austin Packers girls’ tennis edges Albert Lea Tuesday 4-3

The Austin Packers girls’ tennis team was on the road Tuesday for a Big 9 Conference match with Albert Lea, and a win at No. 2 doubles for Abby and Katie VanPelt, their first varsity doubles win together sealed an exciting 4-3 win for the Packers.

Austin took three of the four singles matches in the dual, as Gracie Schmitt swept Alyssa Jensen of Albert Lea at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-0, Kaitlin Meiergerg downed Stephanie Vogt in straight sets at No. 2 singles 6-1, 7-5 and Emma Haugen of the Packers at No. 4 singles defeated Emery Nelson of the Tigers in straight sets 6-0, 6-2.

Samantha Krueger and Reana Schmitt of Austin battled Hannah Willner and Rachel Doppelhammer of Albert Lea for three sets at No. 1 doubles, with the Tiger duo taking the first set 7-5, Krueger and Schmitt then won the second set 6-3 before Willner and Doppelhammer took the third and deciding set 7-5.  The VanPelts lost the first set at No. 2 doubles to Marissa Hanson and Lilly Hyke of Albert Lea 6-2, but they rallied to take the match and the team win for the Packers by winning the next two sets 6-1 and 6-4.

Austin returns to action this afternoon in Faribault against the Falcons, with the varsity action scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.

AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH – 4, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH – 3,

Singles:
No. 1 – Gracie Schmitt, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH def. Alyssa Jensen, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH, 2-6 , 0-6 , -;
No. 2 – Kaitlin Meiergerd, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH def. Stephanie Vogt, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH, 1-6 , 5-7 , -;
No. 3 – Bree Weilage, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH def. Riley Hetzel, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH, 6-4 , 6-1 , -;
No. 4 – Emma Haugen, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH def. Emery Nelson, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH, 0-6 , 2-6 , -;

Doubles:
No. 1 – Hannah Willner, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH – Rachel Doppelhammer, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH def. Samantha Krueger, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH – Reana Schmitt, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH, 7-5 , 3-6 , 7-5 ;
No. 2 – Katie VanPelt, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH – Abby VanPelt, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH def. Marissa Hanson, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH – Lilly Hyke, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH, 6-2 , 1-6 , 4-6 ;
No. 3 – Ava Bremer, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH – Ashlyn Berven, ALBERT LEA SENIOR HIGH def. Aunica Groh, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH – Vida Curtis, AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH, 6-4 , 6-2 , -;