Freshman Tia Wurzrainer teamed with Claire Mietus for a straight-sets win Thursday, lifting Coupeville tennis to a 4-3 win against Klahowya. (John Fisken photo)
The war begins.
With a pair of first-year players rallying to pull out a victory at fourth doubles Thursday, the Coupeville High School girls tennis team drew first blood against Klahowya.
Winning 4-3 on the road, the Wolves stretched their unbeaten streak in Olympic League play to 12 matches across three seasons.
Coupeville (1-0 in league, 2-3 overall) jumps right back in the bus Friday to go face Chimacum (0-1, 0-4), while Klahowya (1-1, 2-5) will bide its time.
Beginning their quest to win a third-straight league title, the Wolves had to dig down deep Thursday afternoon.
With the match tied at 3-3, Tia Wurzrainer and Claire Mietus were Coupeville’s final hope.
Not that they knew it until after they finished their straights-set win.
“Luckily for them, they did not know that the team score was knotted up,” CHS coach Ken Stange said. “I was very pleased with their performance today. They remained calm and they stayed consistent.”
Coupeville used its depth to pull out the win, taking three of four doubles matches and getting a huge win from Bree Daigneault at third singles.
“Bree absolutely destroyed her opponent,” Stange said. “She was consistent and she handled the wind very well.”
Top doubles duo Sage Renninger and Payton Aparicio remained perfect (Renninger is 5-0, having played a match with younger sister Avalon when her partner was on vacation), while Kameryn St Onge and Maggie Crimmins were electric as they bageled their foes.
While the Wolves took three defeats, all were close, with second doubles going a full three sets.
“Avalon and Zoe (Trujillo) played a spirited match, but came up just a little bit short,” Stange said. “They are talented freshmen though, and I believe they will flip the scores next time we meet Klahowya.”
With five of six league matches still ahead on the schedule, Coupeville’s three-peat is far from guaranteed, but Stange likes what he’s seen so far.
“As long as our players stay calm and focused, we should be able to defend our league title.”
Complete results:
Varsity:
1st singles — Valen Trujillo lost to Sydney Jackson 6-2, 7-6(7-5)
2nd singles — Fanny Deprelle lost to Hailey Sargent 6-3, 6-4
3rd singles — Bree Daigneault beat Hannah Catt 6-1, 6-0
1st doubles — Sage Renninger/Payton Aparicio beat Taylor Bruce/Mary Ann Marker 6-2, 6-4
2nd doubles — Avalon Renninger/Zoe Trujillo lost to Sophie Koveleskie/Maddy Rienks 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
3rd doubles — Maggie Crimmins/Kameryn St Onge beat Anna Wells/Emma Parker 6-0, 6-0
4th doubles — Tia Wurzrainer/Claire Mietus beat Kelisha Harris/Kristin Powell 6-1, 6-2
JV:
5th doubles — Julie Bucio/Sophie Furtjes beat Angelina Robinson/Rachelle Adams 6-0
6th doubles — Zara Bradley/Jillian Mayne beat Emma Parker/Emma Heckert 8-1
7th doubles — Heather Nastali/Rubi Melendrez lost to Hannah Catt/Anna Wells 5-1
