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Another Perfect SSC Season For The Netters

By Tom Schardin, 09/30/18, 9:45PM CDT

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The Prior Lake girls tennis team capped off another perfect South Suburban Conference season Sept. 27.

The No. 7-ranked Lakers ended the regular season with a 6-1 home win over Apple Valley. Prior Lake swept all three doubles matches in straight sets.

The Lakers (13-5 overall) earned their seventh league crown in the last eight years. Prior Lake finished the SSC with a 9-0 mark.

Since 2011, the Lakers have lost just once conference match and that was to Eagan in 2016. The Lakers are 70-1 in league play over the last eight seasons.

The Section 2AA team tourney starts Oct. 2. 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 beating Apple Valley, Prior Lake swept all three doubles matches in straight sets. Seniors Charlotte Bowles and Elizabeth Dolby rolled at the top spot (6-0, 6-1), while junior Nic Keller and seventh-grader Ella Joesting cruised at No. 2 (6-2, 6-1) and seventh-grader Tianna Houske and senior Masen Thormodsgard won at No. 3 (6-1, 6-2).

Winning in singles for Prior Lake were senior Kathy Wu at No. 1 (6-2, 6-0), senior Madeline Roess at No. 3 (6-0, 6-0) and sophomore Katelyn Lam at No. 4 (6-1, 6-2).

The Section 2AA semifinals and title match are set for Oct. 9 at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. Prior Lake won’t be the No. 1 seed in the north sub-section. Minnetonka will be, so the Lakers will likely need to get past No. 9 Eden Prairie in the sub-section to qualify for the semifinals.

The Lakers beat Eden Prairie 4-3 back on Sept 13, winning all four singles matches.

The Section 2AA individual tournament starts Oct. 12 with the semifinals and finals for both singles and doubles Oct. 16 in St. Peter. The top two finishers in both singles and doubles make the state field.

Prior Lake has had the last two Class AA state doubles champions. Savanna Crowell and Taylor Jackson won in 2016, while Jackson and Bowles claimed the crown last year.

This year’s state tourney is Oct. 23-26 at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis. Top-ranked Edina has won 20 of the last 21 state team titles.