CEC netters fall to Spartans, Greyhounds

The Cloquet boys tennis team dropped two matches this last week to fall back to the .500 mark for the season.

A difficult 4-3 loss against Superior on April 22 was followed by a 7-0 loss against always-tough Duluth East on April 26.

The match was closer than the score indicated, according to coach Steve Rickstrom.

“I thought our boys played very well for the most part against East,” he said.

Dylan Burslie opened at No. 1 singles with a 6-1 first-set win against East’s Bauer Lasavage, before falling in three sets.

“Dylan really played a superior first set before allowing Lasavage some room in the second and third,” Rickstrom said.

Zach Zezulka extended Brenden Berry to a 7-5 first set before falling in straight sets at No. 3 singles.

The first doubles match was also quite competitive, with the first team of Jake Sorenson and Chase Pritchett giving Andy Welinski and Keegan Flaherty all they wanted.

“Our first doubles team gave themselves a chance to get to a third set, where anything could happen, against what is certainly one of the best doubles teams in the area,” Rickstrom said. The final scores were 3-6, 7-6.

Rickstrom also had praise for Zezulka and Sean Kedrowski.

“I thought Zach played a strong first set and Sean built his confidence by hanging in there with East’s No. 2,” Rickstrom added.

Grand Rapids and Hibbing will come to Cloquet for matches on Friday and Monday of the coming week.

Tags: sports, tennis