Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

Last week had a little bit of everything for the Ranger tennis team, which isnít necessarily a good thing for head coach Greg Patchin. Two of his biggest concerns were how his team would handle a solid Roseville squad, and then how the girls would compete away from Forest Lake. His answers came back good, and not so good.

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Rangers defeated Roseville 4-3, in what Patchin described as a nerve-wracking match.

ìAt times I thought weíd win easily, and then again, at times I thought we were done.î

The marquis match-up pitted two of the stateís best seniors, with Paige Patchin taking on Rosevilleís Deborah Barany. It started out completely one-sided at 0-6, 0-3 in favor of Barany. Paige Patchin then changed her strategy and mounted a huge comeback to take the second set. The third set went to a tie breaker where Barany was able to win 6-7 (4). Even coach Patchin was surprised by some of Paigeís shot-making abilities.

ìHer forehand was unbelievable and she was smacking winners all over the court. Incredible, high-level match.î

The other battle came in No. 2 doubles as Forest Lakeís Kathy Crudo and Cassie Carpenter fought their way through two match points in the second set, and then sailed away with a 6-0 victory in the third.

ìThese girls are so resilient, and they never, and I mean never, give up until the ball bounces twice in the last point. I like that a lot,î coach Patchin shared.

Other winners for the Rangers were Quinne Patchin at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-3; Lauren Gravelle at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-3 and Audrey Hanmer at No. 4 singles, 6-0, 5-7, 6-4.

ìWe need to play with the same intensity,î coach Patchin noted. ìWe need to get in the habit of playing well after a bus ride.î

A bus ride is what took Forest Lake to Stillwater on Thursday, and just as coach Patchin feared, not everyone was ready to play in what would result in a 4-3 loss.

ìStillwater really took it to us in the doubles, sweeping all three in close matches,î he stated.

ìI think we need to reassess our doubles pairs and see if there needs to be adjustments made. If weíre going to be a top 10 team we need to play better doubles.î

The No. 1 doubles team of Raasch and Quinne Patchin lost an up and down match, 6-1, 6-7, 1-6; Crudo and Carpenter dropped their No. 2 doubles contest, 4-6, 5-7, and Brianna Odegaard and Sam Holien lost in No. 3 doubles, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6.

On the singles side, the day went a little more Forest Lakeís way. Paige Patchin controlled things in No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-3; Gravelle continued to play well with a 6-3, 7-6 victory at No. 2 singles, and Charise Kendrick won No. 3 singles, 7-6, 6-4.

This week, the Rangers played at Woodbury on Tuesday, before entertaining White Bear Lake on Thursday, Sept. 21.

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