Fourth-seeded Detroit Lakes had the team portion of its season put to a halt as the north half’s No. 1-seeded Alexandria Cardinals took six of seven matches to advance to the Section 8AA semifinals Wednesday, May 26, in Alexandria.
“We ran into a very tough Alexandria team today,” Detroit Lakes head coach Zach Biggar said. “Alex has been undefeated all year against northern opponents. Not seeing (them) during the year, we didn't 100% know what they had. Alex has been notorious for having very aggressive doubles teams and playing a serve and volley type play. Even though you have an idea on how a team is going to play, it is tough to truly prepare when you haven't played against another team that plays like that.”
The Cardinals were in a similar situation and focused on the four individual matches as a means to get an edge.
“We looked at what (Detroit Lakes) has and what their strengths are,” Alexandria head coach Dave Ronning said to Jared Rubado of the Alexandria Echo Press . “We knew their singles lineup was solid all of the way through. Whenever we play a solid singles lineup, we try to put our better players there. That means our doubles are usually a little weaker. We figured we’d be just fine without those big guns in doubles.”
Alex took the top and third doubles matches in straight sets.
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The Lakers lone win came at two-doubles. Gabe Reller and Jordan Fields picked up a couple of service breaks in a 6-2 first set victory, before the Cardinals’ Andrew Wegner and Dylan Nelson evened the match 7-5 in the second. The Laker duo earned the team point in a 7-6 third set tiebreaker.
“We had winnable matches throughout our lineup but Alex was just a better team today,” Biggar said.
The Cardinals swept singles play without relinquishing a set to Detroit Lakes.
The Lakers season ends with a record of 10-5.
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Alexandria will face No. 2 St. Cloud Tech in the semis. The Tigers defeated Monticello 6-1 to advance. In the other half of the bracket, No. 1S Becker eliminated No. 4 St. Cloud Apollo/Sauk Rapids-Rice 7-0. No. 4 Bemidji upset No. 3 Brainerd 4-3 .
The individual portion of the tournament begins Friday, May 28 in Alexandria. Three of four Laker entrants are seeded.
“We have a good chance to go on some runs on Friday,” Biggar said.
Reed Henderson is seeded No. 4 and has a first round bye.
No. 6 Nate Cihak takes on Moorhead sophomore Oscar Bergeson.
In doubles, Connor Zamzo and Gavin Smith are seeded fifth and open against Moorhead’s Adam Pettys and Henry Skatvold.
Austin Miller and Jordan Fields will face No. 6 Eli McConkey and Clark Haglin of Brainerd.
Alexandria 6, Detroit Lakes 1
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Singles:
1. Jacob Partington (A) def Reed Henderson (DL) 6-1 6-3
2. Gannon Lueck (A) def Nate Cihak (DL) 7-5 6-4
3. Landon Schabel (A) def Austin Miller (DL) 6-3 7-5
4. Aaron Jost (A) def Brodie Carivaeu (DL) 6-2 6-0
Doubles:
1. Pieter Mulder/Owen Gibertson (A) def Connor Zamzo/Gavin Smith (DL) 6-0 6-2
2. Gabe Reller/Jordan Fields (DL) def Andrew Wegner/Dylan Nelson (A) 6-2 5-7 7-6
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3. Tyler Jabas/Brennan Parker (A) def Breck Winter/Parker Davis (DL) 6-1 7-6
Read more stories by Robert Williams here .
