Columbus third at Great Northern Conference tennis meet

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The Marshfield Columbus Catholic girls tennis team earned three top-three finishes Saturday at the Great Northern Conference Tournament in Minocqua. Front from left, Nikki Hertel and Abby Gotz won the No. 2 doubles title for the second straight year. Back, Cassidy Schlinsog and Maddy Havican were runner-ups at No. 3 doubles, and Haley Orella and Angie Seubert took third at No. 1 doubles to also earn medals for the Dons. (Photo submitted)

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MINOCQUA – The Marshfield Columbus Catholic girls tennis team earned one individual title and finished third as a team Saturday the Great Northern Conference Girls Tennis Tournament at Lakeland High School.

The tournament was played Saturday after being postponed on Thursday by rain.

The Dons’ No. 2 doubles team of Nikki Hertel and Abby Gotz won the championship at that flight, beating Marissa Haylen and Karli Redeka of Rhinelander 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals, and Mel Coconate and Megan Hebert of Lakleand 6-2, 6-3 in the finals.

Columbus finished with 21 points to finish behind Rhinelander (30) and Lakeland (22). Overall in conference play, which combines the dual meets during the season and the tournament, Columbus finished second with 63 points behind just Rhinelander (84).

The Dons also had two second-place finishes.

Elizabeth Manlick won her first match at No. 1 singles, beating Ashley Reimer of Antigo 6-0, 6-0, but lost in the finals to Rhinelander’s Pri Sika 6-1, 6-4.

At No. 3 doubles, Columbus Catholic’s Cassidy Schlinsog and Maddy Havican beat the Medford doubles team 6-2, 6-0, before falling in the championship match to Nikki Wuestenhagen and Kelsey Nimsgern of Lakleand 5-7, 7-6 (9), 6-2.

The Dons earned a third-place finish at No. 1 doubles. Haley Orella and Angie Seubert lost their first match to Paige McMullin and Erin Tichacek 6-4, 6-4 and came back to win the third-place match over Kelsey Fierke and Emily Scheild of Medford 6-3, 6-1.

The Dons will host Stevens Point Pacelli on Tuesday and Wisconsin Rapids Assumption on Thursday in nonconference matches before heading to Appleton for the Xavier Subsectional on Monday, Oct. 4.

Tournament standings: 1. Rhinelander 30, 2. Lakeland 22; 3. Marshfield Columbus Catholic 21; 4. Medford 17; 5. Antigo 15; 6. Phillips 0.
Overall standings: 1. Rhinelander 84; 2. Marshfield Columbus Catholic 63; 3. Lakeland 62; 4. Medford 61; 5. Antigo 31; 6. Phillips 0.