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Prior Lake Girls Tennis Poised for Another Step Forward

By Ron Haggstrom, 08/27/14, 9:15AM CDT

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The Prior Lake girls’ tennis team comes back more experienced with each passing year. There is no time like the present for the program to take the next step forward.

The Lakers finished third in the Class 2A state tournament in 2012. Last season, with the majority of its lineup intact, coach Kris Schneider’s group wound up fourth. It was an unexpected slight drop for a team that entered the season ranked No. 2 in the state.

With its nucleus back for yet another go around, Prior Lake opens this campaign ranked fifth. Players hope to prove that prognostication is wrong.

“We all know what we are capable of accomplishing,” Lakers senior Dani Keller said. “We hope to prove everybody otherwise.”

Keller will be entering her sixth season as a starter for the Lakers. They won nine matches during her initial season as a seventh-grader.

“We have made significant improvement through the years,” Keller said. “We have set a new benchmark each year to improve upon.”

Unlike the previous two seasons, Schneider plans to make some lineup adjustments during the course of the 2014 campaign. Junior Chloe Hall had competed at the No. 1 singles position and sophomore Savanna Crowell had been penciled in at No. 2 singles. Look for Crowell to occupy the top singles spot this year, and Hall sliding into the No. 1 doubles spot with Keller.

“We return all four of singles players from last year, and all are very solid,” Schneider said. “For a lot of matches, however, we will probably have one of them play No. 1 doubles. It looks to be Chloe for the first couple weeks at least.”

Crowell won 18 of her 20 singles matches a year ago. She went 17-2 the previous season.

“Savanna is playing amazing tennis right now, some of the best I have ever seen her play,” Schneider said. “She will only get better throughout the season.”

Prior Lake’s other two returning singles players are expected to move up a spot. Junior Grayce Petersen will be at the No. 2 spot while freshman Taylor Jackson will fill the No. 3 slot.

“We have versatility in our top players,” Schneider said. “They can easily slide from singles to doubles, and are very willing to do so.”

In all likelihood, junior Kayli French will hold down the No. 4 singles position. She also will see time at the third doubles spot.

Senior Alison Wagner and junior Sydney Soeffker will fill the No. 2 doubles position. They went 16-5 at the third spot a year ago.

“Right now the challenge is figuring out the best combinations for our third doubles spot,” Schneider said. “We had the most players try out for the tennis team that we have ever had before, and it was very competitive to make the varsity team this year.”

It hasn’t altered the dynamic of a team-first concept instilled by Schneider.

“Everybody gets along so well on this team,” Keller said. “It’s been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”

One that she would like to culminate with another trip to the state tournament.

“Getting to the state tournament again would be great,” Keller said. “Finishing in the top three would be excellent.”