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Netters Stay On Perfect Conference Path

By Tom Schardin, 09/22/18, 9:00PM CDT

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The Prior Lake girls tennis team remained perfect in the South Suburban Conference Sept. 18 with a home sweep.

The No. 9-ranked Lakers didn't lost a set in rolling to a 7-0 win over Farmington. Prior Lake improved to 6-0 in league play as it seeks its seventh title in the last eight years.

Prior Lake (10-5 overall) went into the match losing three times in the Edina Invitational Sept. 15, while earning a 4-3 win at Eden Prairie Sept. 13 in a battle of Section 2AA foes.

At the invite, Prior Lake fell 4-3 to No. 6 Hopkins, 5-2 to No. 3 Rochester Mayo and 4-3 to Mahtomedi.

"We lost all three really close matches," Lakers coach PJ Priest said. "We could have won all three."

Prior Lake will put its unbeaten league mark on the line Sept. 24 at home versus No. 5 Eastview at 3:45 p.m. The winner will likely be the SSC champion. 

The Lakers' final two regular season matches are SSC ones — at Burnsville Sept. 25 and home to Apple Valley Sept. 27. Both start at 3:45 p.m.

The Section 2AA team tourney starts Oct. 3. Second-ranked Minnetonka is the defending champion, beating the Lakers in the finals last year 4-3. Prior Lake beat the Skippers for the crown the previous two seasons.

Minnetonka beat Prior Lake 6-1 this fall back on Sept. 5.

Meanwhile, in the win over Farmington, the Lakers lost just three total games in the four singles matches. Senior Kathy Wu won at the top spot (6-2, 6-0), followed by sophomore Kelly Wu at No. 2 (6-0, 6-0), senior Madeline Roess at No. 3 (6-0, 6-1) and sophomore Katelyn Lam at No. 4 (6-0, 6-0).

In doubles, seniors Charlotte Bowles and Elizabeth Dolby rolled at the No. 1 spot (6-0, 6-0), as did junior Nic Keller and seventh-grader Ella Joesting at No. 2 (6-0, 6-0) and seventh-grader Tianna Houske and senior Masen Thormodsgard at No. 3 (6-1, 6-1).

At the invite, the match with Mahtomedi came down to No. 3 doubles. Senior Peyton Johnson and junior Gabrielle Betzold lost a tough three-setter (3-6, 6-3, 10-4).

Wins for the Lakers went to: Roess at No. 3 singles (6-3, 6-2), Lam at No. 4 singles (6-2, 6-0) and Kelly Wu and Joesting at No. 2 doubles (6-4, 6-1).

Against Hopkins, another tough three-set loss at No. 3 doubles decided the match. Johnson and Betzold battled again, but fell (2-6, 7-5, 10-7).

Bowles and Houske won at No. 1 doubles for the Lakers (6-0, 6-1), while Keller and Joesting rolled at the No. 2 spot (6-2, 6-1). Lam had a win at No. 4 singles (6-4, 6-2).

Against Rochester Mayo, both of Prior Lake's wins came at singles with Kathy Wu winning at No. 3 (6-3, 6-0) and Roess rolling at No. 4 (6-3, 6-2).