Luverne's Tom Bouwman reacts to a high shot by his opponent during Monday's Section 3A Team Tennis Tournament quarterfinal-round match against Redwood Valley in Luverne. The Cards beat RWV and Montevideo in Tuesday's semifinals before falling to Yellow Medicine East in the section title tilt.
By John Rittenhouse
Luverne completed its team version of the 2002 season by playing three matches during the Section 3A Team Tournament Monday and Tuesday.
The third-seeded Cardinals defeated No. 6 Redwood Valley in the quarterfinals Monday in Luverne before nipping No. 2 Montevideo by one point in TuesdayÕs semifinals in Redwood Falls. No. 1-seeded Yellow Medicine East then bested the Cards by three points in TuesdayÕs championship match.
Luverne, which ends the team campaign with a 9-8 record, will play in the Section 3A Individual Tournament today and Tuesday in Redwood Falls.
YME 5, Luverne 2
Luverne's bid for a section team championship came up short when it lost a three-point decision to YME during Tuesday's championship match in Redwood Falls.
The top-seeded Sting swept the four singles matches and went 1-2 in doubles to win the section crown.
Luverne's wins came at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Dusty Antoine and Pat Bennett secured a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win over Nathan Morland and Andrew Hewitt at the No. 2 slot. Trevor Maine and Chris Vickery topped Andrew Albin and Jeff Ford by 6-3 and 6-4 tallies at No. 3.
YME's No. 1 team of Phil Erickson and Aaron Smith claimed 6-0 and 6-1 wins against Dan Voigt and Tom Bouwman to avoid being swept in doubles.
All of YMEÕs singles wins came in straight sets.
Jason Ford notched 6-3 and 6-4 wins over Barry Hoogland at No. 1, Mark Sheggeby downed Kyle Fletcher by 6-1 and 6-0 scores at No. 2, Derrick Kvendru posted 6-1 and 6-0 victories against Steve Althoff at No. 3, and Erik Cherveny prevailed by 6-2 an 6-3 counts against Dan Boen at No. 4.
Luverne 4,
Montevideo 3
The Cardinals earned a berth in the championship match by defeating Montevideo in TuesdayÕs semifinals.
Luverne won three of four singles matches and sewed up the win by taking one of three doubles battles.
Hoogland edged Brock Lauritson by 7-5 scores at No. 1 singles, Voigt posted 7-6 and 6-1 wins over Eli Briones at No. 2, and Boen recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win over Joe Landman at No. 4.
Montevideo's Matt Flaharty prevailed at No. 3 singles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Bouwman.
Luverne's doubles win came from Maine and Vickery in the No. 3 slot. The Cards bested Kris Hobbie and Ryan Aeikens by 6-3 and 6-4 tallies.
Montevideo's Ben Tokheim and Pat Huber secured a 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 win over Antoine and Bennett at No. 1 doubles, while Sal Horn and Matt Johnson nipped Fletcher and Althoff in a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 match.
Luverne 4, RWV 3
The Cardinals opened tournament play by posting a one-point win over Redwood Valley in Luverne Monday.
Luverne was unable to post a win in doubles, but it recorded four straight victories in singles to advance to Tuesday's semifinals.
All of the singles wins came in straight sets.
Hoogland topped Mike Alexander by 6-1 and 6-0 scores at No. 1, Voigt bested Devan Blaine by 6-2 and 6-0 scores at No. 2, Bouwman toppled Justin Thiel by 6-1 and 6-0 counts at No. 3, and Antoine secured 6-0 and 6-1 wins over Sam Ferguson at No. 4.
RWV took all three doubles matches in straight sets.
Aaron Busack and Drew Tribble upended Boen and Bennett by 6-2 and 6-3 scores at No. 1, Paul Erickson and James Lidbeck outplayed Althoff and Fletcher by 6-1 and 6-4 tallies at No. 2, and LaRon Schottenbauer and Reed Larson posted 6-3 and 6-2 wins against Vickery and Maine at No. 3.