Bulldogs defeated Lady Pirates 6-1

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - Two top tennis teams in Montana packed in the Northwestern A conference met, and it wasn't even close.

The Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Pirates 6-1 on Thursday thanks to dominating performances by Whitefish.

Danni Paulson, last year's state champ, dismantled Polson's Jen Orchard, 6-0, 6-0.

"Danni was very pumped up for this match, and it could be a preview for the state finals," Whitefish coach Patrick Dryden said. "I was really happy with the way things went."

The teams had two matches go three sets, the No. 2 singles match and the No. 3 doubles match. The Bulldogs' Sabrya Martin and Molly Lauterbach fell 6-1 in the first set, but rallied for the win.

"Those were real exciting matches," Dryden said. "I was pleased with what Molly and Sabrya did to start off that slow and turn it around."

Kate Whittaker, Whitefish's No. 3 singles player, has spent the last two seasons injured, but she is healthy this year and playing well, as her 6-0, 6-3 victory over Emily Pyles showed.

"Kate, that was the best match of her career," Dryden said. "She has tremendous potential. I always knew she had this in her."

Whitefish travels to the Havre Invitational on Saturday.

BULLDOGS 6, PIRATES 1

Singles - Danni Paulson, WF, def. Jen Orchard 6-0, 6-0; Brielle Menegazzi, WF, def. Elise Bennett 6-0, 3-6, 6-4; Kate Whittaker, WF, def. Emily Pyles 6-0, 6-3; Mariah Driscoll, WF, def. Kelsie Delaney 6-0, 6-3.

Doubles - Malika Erickson/Emily Fors, POL, def. Taylor Beach/Jessie Kuennen 6-1, 6-2; Kyla Roy/Maresa Jenson, WF, def. Cali Hislop/Mattea York 6-4, 6-4; Sabrya Martin/Molli Lauterbach, WF, def. Addie Krantz/Maddie Grebetz 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Exhibition - Jessica Anderson/Kimberly McIntyre, WF, def. Mariah Swan/Kelsie Jones 8-1; Kelsey McCluskey/Michelle Maddock, WF, def. Stephanie Bertsch/Kelsey Jones 8-6.

Boys

Polson 4, Whitefish 3

WHITEFISH - The Bulldogs were out with their No. 2 singles player, Ben James, thanks to a sprained ankle, and fell to Northwestern A conference rival Polson on Thursday.

"I thought it would be a different outcome, but it was a good look at the start of the season," Whitefish coach Kathy Cummings said.

The Bulldogs' No. 1 doubles

team of Kyle Jacobson and Ryan Rottenbiller overcame a 5-2 deficit in the first set and won 7-5, 6-2 to keep Polson from sweeping through the doubles matches.

Whitefish now stands at 1-1 for the season and travels to the Havre Invitational on Saturday.

PIRATES 4, BULLDOGS 3

Singles - Andy Dykstra, Pol., def. Izaak Opatz 6-1, 6-2; Matt Harris, WF, def. Issac Swan 6-0, 6-0; Ian Hosek, WF, def. Jason Newton 6-1, 6-0; Jake Grebetz, Pol., def. Kevin Sartiano 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles - Kyle Jacobson/Ryan Rottenbiller, WF, def. Brett Vandeberg/Derrick Roberts 7-5, 6-2; Colton Woods/John Rausch, Pol., def. Brendan Viscomi/Scott Johnson 6-2, 6-4; Adam Eraky/Gabe Caye, Pol., def. Chase Pierce/Eli Reynolds 6-1, 6-3.