Lady Maroons edge Gladstone in final home match of the season

MENOMINEE — The Menominee girls tennis team tuned up for the Great Northern Conference meet with a nail-biting 5-3 decision over Gladstone on Monday.

The Maroons split their four singles matches and went 3-for-4 in doubles action to secure the victory and build momentum for today’s GNCs in Escanaba.

“We needed this win to go into the GNCs with some confidence,” Menominee coach Nikki Mathieu said. “GNCs will be pretty tough. We were not able to play Munising or West Iron County due to conflicts, so we will see how things go for us. The girls are ready to go and are hungry for a great GNC.”

Menominee’s No. 2 doubles duo of Cortney Buscher and Isabelle Bentley opened their match against Reese Herioux and Sylvia Nault with a convincing 6-2 win before the Braves returned the favor with a 6-2 triumph of their own in set two.

Buscher and Bentley closed matters out with a narrow 6-4 victory in the third set.

The No. 3 doubles match pitted the Maroons’ Ava Chouinard and Ella Barker against Charlotte Hanson and Sam Drielick, and the two teams followed a similar script to the No. 2 match, with Menominee’s pairing winning the opening set 6-1 before falling 6-2 in set two, only to rebound with a close 7-5 victory in set three.

“Our two and three doubles pulled off a great win. Bentley and Buscher played the best tennis that I’ve seen them play all year,” Mathieu said.

Annalece Marsicek and Andi Anderson provided Menominee with another W in their No. 4 doubles duel against Miranda Drielick and Tati Martinez in straight 6-4, 6-4 sets.

Menominee’s lone defeat in doubles play came in the No. 1 match between Maddy Barker and Kam Olson and Gladstone’s Montgomery Pepin and Maggie Buckley, with the Braves’ duo downing the Maroons 6-2, 6-1.

In singles action, No. 3 Anna Axtell handled Alexis Burch 6-0, 6-1, while No. 4 Delaney Wagner bested Carly Maki 6-0, 6-2.

“Axtell and Wagner played well. They were able to try little things here and there to improve their game,” Mathieu added.

Gladstone’s Tia Schone came through for the Braves in her No. 1 singles match against Elena Murphy, with Schone claiming a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Gladstone No. 2 Addison Trombley came out on top of her match against Mackenzie Doyle 6-1, 6-2.

Monday’s match doubled as the final home game for seniors Olsen, Axtell, Bentley, Buscher and Maddy Barker.

“It was a bittersweet night. This was the seniors’ last home match and I’m glad that we got the win for them,” Mathieu said. “This group of seniors has great leadership, and they will definitely be missed both on, and off, the court.”

Up nextMenominee: The Maroons travel to Escanaba today for the GNCs at 9 a.m. central time.

Menominee 5, Gladstone 3Singles — No. 1 Tia Schone (GLA) def. Elena Murphy (MEN) 6-1, 6-2; No. 2 Addison Trombley (GLA) def. Mackenzie Doyle (MEN) 6-1, 6-2; No. 3 Anna Axtell (MEN) def. Alexis Burch (GLA) 6-0, 6-1; No. 4 Delaney Wagner (MEN) def. Carly Maki (GLA) 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles — No 1 Montgomery Pepin/Maggie Buckley (GLA) def. Maddy Barker/Kam Olsen (MEN) 6-2, 6-1; No. 2 Cortney Buscher/Isabelle Bentley (MEN) def. Reese Herioux/Sylvia Nault (GLA) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4; No. 3 Ava Chouinard/Ella Barker (MEN) def. Charlotte Hanson/Sam Drielick (GLA) 6-1, 2-6, 7-5; No. 4 Annalece Marsicek/Andi Anderson (MEN) def. Miranda Drielick/Tati Martinez (GLA) 6-4, 6-4.