Natalie Rogers of CHS serves during a doubles matcha at Centennial Park Thursday afternoon. Her partner was Polly Johnson. photo by Rick Gunn
The tone for Thursday's match between the Carson and Douglas High girls tennis teams was set in an opening singles contest between the Senators' Tara Haddon and the Tigers' Samantha Barnes.
Haddon had just overcome a 0-30 deficit to hold serve, tying the match 3-3, which could have given Carson a glimmer of hope that it could pull off the upset against Douglas. But then Barnes was able to gain control for a 6-3 win and that was representative of how the day went as Douglas won 18-4 1/2 at Centennial Park.
Douglas is an experienced team that's determined to make the state championships in Las Vegas after losing to Reno last year by 1 1/2 points in the state semifinals. The Tigers lost only two players from last year's team.
Tiger coach Dee Gosselin said the team's goal from day one has been to make a trip to Las Vegas. Against Carson, Douglas (5-0) featured a team that had six seniors in its top nine. The Senators (2-3) had just one senior among its top players.
"I knew going in they were tough," Carson coach Kincaid DeJoseph said. "I think they're a contender to go to state. They're one of the elite teams in the North this year."
Carson's highlight came when Polly Johnson and Natalie Rogers were able to win two matches in doubles, 6-1, 6-0. Denise Rikalo and Lindsay Fonda won 6-3 for Carson's other win.
The only loss for Johnson and Rogers came against the Tigers' unbeaten team of Katie Eilers and Melissa Ogelsby, 2-6.
"They lost to a good competitive team," DeJoseph said. "Come zone time, I think they're (Johnson/Rogers) going to be one of the top teams to deal with."
Eilers and Ogelsby won their other match 6-1. Also in doubles for Douglas, Katie Coyler and Kristin Kvasnicka won 6-1, 6-1, Daphne Bateman and Devon Bateman won 6-3, Kristen Valentine and Christina Keegan won 6-2 and April Crandell and Elizabeth Coleman won 6-2.
In singles for Douglas, Barnes also won 6-2, 6-0, Arielle Finch won 6-3, 6-0, Meredith Fischer won 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 and Ramona Rid won 6-0.
"It's nice to see the competition with Carson," Gosselin said. "The girls were really looking forward to meeting up with Carson.
"The girls have always had good matches with Carson. We are really strong. Our strength is depth and experience."
BOYS TENNIS
DOUGLAS 12, CARSON 10 1/2
In a match that was expected to be close, the Douglas boys tennis team narrowly defeated Carson. Josh Brekken and Andy Araza and Karl Schulz and Ash Dauenhauer both swept their three matches in doubles while Carson's other win also came in doubles from Zach Caron and John McDonald.