HIBBING -- The Bemidji High School girls tennis team finished third in the Hibbing Invitational on Saturday, earning 23 points to trail first-place Stillwater (28 points) and second-place Pine City (27).
The event consisted of individual tournaments for each spot on the traditional match ladder, including Nos. 1-4 singles and the Nos. 1-3 doubles.
Freshman Mollie Rupp won the No. 3 singles tournament for BHS, vanquishing opponents from Virginia (6-4, 6-1), Pine City (7-5, 7-5) and Hibbing (6-2, 6-7, 6-4) to claim the crown. Rupp had previously lost to Pine City’s Brooke Boland but avenged that defeat in the semifinal round.
“She has really worked exceptionally hard at practice recently, which is saying something since she’s a hard worker all the time, and her recent results are showing that improvement,” head coach Kyle Fodness said.
Elsewhere for the Lumberjacks, the No. 1 doubles pair of Chloe Hasbargen and Tatum Offerdahl reached the championship round in their bracket, but the two fell 6-4, 6-3 to Hibbing in the final. The duo defeated Stillwater 6-2, 6-1 and Grand Rapids/Greenway 6-1, 6-3 to reach the last round.
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Bemidji’s No. 3 doubles team of Maddie Jensen and Darby Neis also reached the final round in their bracket but dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to Pine City. Jensen and Neis beat Grand Rapids/Greenway 6-2, 7-5 and Virginia 6-0, 6-2 prior to playing Pine City.
No. 1 singles Savannah Haugen, No. 2 singles Emily Dondelinger and No. 2 doubles Paige Anderson/Abby Johnson each won their opening-round match but were unable to advance further.
The Jacks return to the court at Thief River Falls at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20.
Team Results
1-Stillwater 28; 2-Pine City 27; 3-Bemidji 23; 4-Hibbing 20; 5-Virginia 15; 6-Grand Rapids/Greenway 8; T7-Duluth East 6; T7-Eveleth-Gilbert 6.