Two days after defeating United South Central’s Ali Ramsley 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 single in the Gopher Valley Conference meet, Maple River’s Mandi Stencel took on Ramsley again Monday in the first round of the Section 2A team tournament.

It’s safe to say the results were quite a bit different.

Stencel delivered another 6-2 win in the first set but Ramsley rallied in Set No. 2 to take a 4-3 lead and eventually force a tiebreaker. When it was over, Stencel had prevailed in the second set 7-6 (7-3) to help her team to a 5-2 victory over the Rebels.

“She just elevated her game and I lost my concentration a little bit,” Stencel said. “She started hitting some nice shots. I had to come back at the end.”

Once in the tiebreaker, Stencel opted to take some pace off the ball to negate Ramsley’s power. She also tried to extend each rally as long as she could.

“I tried to lob a lot because she seemed to be having trouble returning those,” Stencel said. “But it was a pretty tough match; I’m tired right now.”

The Eagles took a 3-1 lead early when Stencel, Sara Anderson (No. 2 singles) and the No. 2 doubles team of Claire Duncanson and Sarah Bartell all won in straight sets. USC’s No. 1 tandem of Cami Christian and Brianna Schroeder was also a straight-set winner.

Maple River’s Steph Smith finally decided the meet with a marathon 6-4, 6-3 victory over Rachel Mattick. The match featured numerous lengthy rallies that often ended when one or the other player lost her patience.

“Our games are very similar so I think that’s why it took so long,” Smith said. “I knew she played the same way I did so I just tried to get everything back and keep it in play and hope she’d make a mistake.”

The teams split the final two matches as Maple River’s Tabitha Woitas won 6-4, 6-3 at fourth singles while the USC No. 3 doubles team of Megan Allis and Ali Wood won a tight 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (8-6) win over Amelia Malakowsky and Bella Hager.

Maple River (14-4) will take on the winner of today’s rescheduled match between St. Peter and Sibley East in the Section 2A semifinals Thursday at Swanson Tennis Center in St. Peter.

Maple River 5, United South Central 2
SINGLES: 1—Mandi Stencel (MR) def. Ali Ramsley 6-2, 7-6 (7-3); 2—Sara Anderson (MR) def. Katie Lorenz 6-0, 6-0; 3—Steph Smith (MR) def. Rachel Mattick 6-4, 6-3; 4—Tabitha Woitas (MR) def. Danie Lorenz 6-4, 6-3.
DOUBLES: 1—Cami Christian & Brianna Schroeder (USC) def. Josie Walters & Michaela Hislop 6-2, 7-5; 2—Claire Duncanson & Sarah Bartell (MR) def. Megan Chicos & Robin Staloch 6-3, 6-2; 3—Megan Allis & Ali Wood (USC) def. Amelia Malakowsky & Becca Hager 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (8-6).