Sparta girls tennis comes through for narrow win over Aquinas

Gilbertson, Clark rebound for crucial doubles victory

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After a long weekend full of tennis, the Sparta girls tennis team looked to be in the winner's circle yet again after facing conference rival, the La Crosse Aquinas.

Both squads battled it out until the end, but the Sparta girls came out on top and secured a 4-3 victory over their conference foes to improve to 1-3 in MVC action.

“It was such a great feeling,” said Sparta head coach Annie Labus after Tuesday’s match. “The girls were really excited to see all of that hard work at practice pay off.”

Both teams split the four singles matches that were played.

Sparta’s Isabella Roth defeated Aquinas’ Emily Bakalars 6-0, 6-1 and Claire Pribbernow gave the Spartans their other singles win by defeating Nora Dickinson 6-1, 6-0.

The doubles is category is what gave the Lady Spartans a win in the end. Sparta fought and grabbed two wins out of the three matches played.

Sparta’s second doubles team picked up a victory that sparked the team win. Kate Gilbertson and Alana Clark defeated Aquinas’ Elie Klar and Ellie Zhotvis 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.

"The girls who had a breakout performance were number two doubles," Labus said. "They lost the first set and won the second set. They then went to the third and cleaned house."

Labus added that her number one singles player, Isabella Roth, has been coming along strong as the season winds down and the postseason looms near.

In the number three doubles match, Sparta’s Libby Oswald and Kira Markuson defeated Aquinas’ Grace Levere and Rosa Schwinn-Weaver 6-4, 6-3.

The Spartans will be in action again come this Thursday when the Tomah Timberwolves visit Sparta to keep the cross-county rivalry alive.

Sparta girls tennis, La Crosse Aquinas girls tennis, WIAA girls tennis

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