The Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls tennis team opened its season Tuesday with a 4-3 home win over Superior - and with two surprise additions at the top of the lineup.
Brazilian exchange student Victoria Marinho was dominant in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles over Superior's Natalie Burger, and German exchange student Dana Hartman also won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles over Superior's Raya Kosey.
"Vic and Dana are the first exchange students we've had at the top of the lineup in about six years," coach Steve Rickstrom said. "They both did well."
Marinho, who is a senior, has some hard court experience but grew up playing on clay.
"Vic is very accomplished," Rickstrom said. "She has a good power and touch game and is a real good all-around player."
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Hartman, a sophomore, had never played a match on a hard court surface before last Saturday's scrimmage against Holy Angels Academy.
"Dana is very similar to Victoria in terms of her game," Rickstrom said. "She hits with lots of topspin, and has a big powerful backhand and lots of finesse. She can hit cut shots and it's very nice to watch Dana and Vic hit together."
This year's captain is junior Reilly Kedrowski, who fell in a tough match at third singles on Tuesday. Sophomore Lora Chalich won at fourth singles for CEC while the first doubles team of junior Alyssa Acheson and senior Lizz Jezierski got the fourth team point with their win.
Other doubles teams included senior Stephanie Campbell and sophomore Breanne Baker, and sophomores Katrina Smith and Katelyn Litke.
Like with Rickstrom's boys team in the spring, the number of players out for the sport is huge. Thirty players are in practice, with five seniors including Bobbie Kruysen and Michaela Houser.
However, unlike the boys team, there aren't as many candidates ready to play varsity tennis.
"We have more players than places, but we have a lot of beginners," Rickstrom said. "We have a lot of kids who need to develop before they can play varsity. We tried to make that clear before feelings got hurt about not playing varsity, but we have 11-13 contenders for the varsity team."
The team is in action on Friday against both Duluth schools before traveling south on Saturday with Denfeld to play matches against St.
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Francis and Cambridge.
