Benson/KMS doubles back to state meet
ST. PETER -- The Benson/KMS Braves did a double-take at the Section 5A girls team tennis final four on Monday.
The Braves went 6-0 at doubles in two wins, enough to secure victories over St. Cloud Cathedral and MACCRAY.
The Braves (22-4) beat the Crusaders and the Wolverines by identical 5-2 scores.
Benson/KMS returns to the state tournament Oct. 22-23 in Minneapolis for the second time in three years.
MACCRAY squeezed by 2007 champion Litchfield 4-3 in the semifinals at the Gustavus Adolphus College courts.
The Benson/KMS pairs dominated, losing just one set in six matches. Abby Fragodt continued to mow down all comers at 1-singles.
At doubles, Lauren Alsaker and Chelsea Goff lead off. They and Fragodt are the only holdovers from Benson's 2006 state qualifying team.
Datriana James and Cassie Johnson are at 2-doubles and Ginger Breen and Hillary Wilts at 3-doubles.
Benson/KMS lost out in the quarterfinals last year to Melrose.
Coach Don Brehmer's team will meet the winner of today's Section 3A tournament, also at St. Peter. St. James is the favorite in a field with YME, Montevideo and Redwood Falls.
The Class A tournament is at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in South Minneapolis. Benson/KMS plays at 2 p.m.
Championship
Benson/KMS 5, MACCRAY 2
Alsaker and Goff picked up the fourth point to clinch.
Ashley Forstrom and Annie Winter picked up the MACCRAY points at singles.
It was the Braves' 20th straight win, including two earlier victories over MACCRAY by scores of 5-2 and 4-3.
Singles
(1) Abby Fragodt, Ben, def. Ashley Trulock 6-2, 6-0 (2) Ashley Forstrom, MAC, def. Catherine James 6-1, 6-0 (3) Nat Natpattanapong, Ben, def. Caylee Hagemeyer 6-1, ,6-0 (4) Annie Winter, MAC, def. Sara Rajewsky 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
(1) Lauren Alsaker-Chelsey Goff, Ben, def. Emily Satre-Megan Call 6-3, 6-2 (2) Datriana Jensen-Cassie Johnson, Ben, def. Leah Trulock-Katie Kienitz 6-3, 6-2 (3) Ginger Breen-Hillary Wilts, Ben, def. Kelsey Gunderson-Morgan Jaenisch 6-2, 6-4
Semifinals
MACCRAY 4, Litchfield 3
The determination was made at 1-singles where the Wolverines' Ashley Trulock shaded Chelsie McGraw 7-5, 6-4 to break the 3-all tie.
Forstrom and Winter also won for a third point at singles. The needed doubles point came from Leah Trulock-Katie Kien-itz at the two spot.
Singles
(1) Ashley Trulock, MAC, def. Chelsie McGraw 7-5, 6-4 (2) Ashley Forstrom, MAC, def. Brianna Johnson 6-3, 6-2 (3) Lauren Mergen, Lit, def. Caylee Hagemeyer 6-3, 6-4 (4) Annie Winter, MAC, def. Brittney Berning 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
(1) Lizzie Johnson-Ellie Black, Lit, def. Megan Call-Emily Satre 7-5, 6-4 (2) Leah Trulock-Katie Kienitz, MAC, def. Kristen Solbrack-Marin Haugo 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 (3) Anna Johnson-Alyssa Holmgren, Lit, def. Morgan Jaenisch-Kelsey Gunderson 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
Benson/KMS 5, St. Cloud Cathedral 2
The Braves' Sara Rajewsky at 4-singles won in straight sets while Fragodt lost only one game playing Crusaders' No. 1 Lisandra Scheevel.
Singles
(1) Abby Fragodt, Ben, def. Lisandra Scheevel 6-0, 6-1 (2) Michaela Clinton, SCC, def. Catherine James 6-2, 6-0 (3) Matia Twedt, SCC, def. Nat Natpattanapong 6-1, 6-4 (4) Sara Rajewsky, Ben, def. Alec Dahlquist 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
(1) Lauren Alsaker-Chelsey Goff, Ben, def. Alyssa Jameson-Caroline Stringer 6-1, 6-2 (2) Datriana Jensen-Cassie Johnson, Ben, def. Bridget Harguth-Erin Stocker 6-1, 6-7 (5-7)), 6-4 (3) Ginger Breen-Hillary Wilts, Ben, def. Greta Egerman-Katie Carlson 6-4, 6-3
