A successful season continued last week for the Monticello girls tennis team.
The Magic won both of their Mississippi 8 Conference matches, defeating Chisago Lakes and Cambridge-Isanti by identical 4-3 scores.
Monticello opened conference play Tuesday with a dramatic victory over Chisago Lakes. Three singles wins gave the Magic an early advantage before the deciding point came in doubles.
Junior Paisyn Wiley fell to Claire Mickelson 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 singles, but Haidyn Holker answered with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Kinsley Daugs at No. 2.
Freshman Molly Huberty continued her strong season with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Harlow Larson at No. 3 singles.
At No. 4, eighth-grader Bridget Huberty went the distance against her opponent before emerging with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
With three singles points secured, the Magic needed one victory from their three doubles teams to win the match.
Taylor Marcus and Hope Vergin started strong at No. 1 doubles, winning the opening set 6-1. Their opponents rallied to take the next two sets 6-4, 6-4.
At No. 3 doubles, sophomore Autumn Montgomery and freshman Gabbie Swain fell 6-3, 6-2. That left the outcome in the hands of juniors Layla Cheney and Lyla Tice at No. 2.
Cheney and Tice delivered the deciding point with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Chisago Lakes seniors Annika Smith and Makenna Thorsen. The win gave Monticello its 10th victory of the season.
Cheney and Tice were tested again Thursday when the Magic faced Cambridge-Isanti in another match decided by a 4-3 score.
This time, Monticello split the four singles matches.
Wiley fell to Scarlet Porta 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, while Holker lost to Allie Troolin 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2.
The Huberty sisters secured Monticello’s two singles points. Molly Huberty defeated Reese Oliver 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3, while Bridget Huberty earned a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jada Draper at No. 4.
Marcus and Vergin fell 6-1, 7-5 at No. 1 doubles, leaving the Magic needing victories in the final two doubles matches.
Tice and Cheney survived a three-set battle at No. 2 doubles, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Montgomery and Jayden Larson also went three sets at No. 3. After dropping the opening set 6-2, the Monticello pair rallied to win the next two 6-2, 6-2, securing the Magic’s second 4-3 victory of the week.
Monticello was scheduled to play at Princeton on Tuesday after press time. The Magic travel to Sauk Rapids-Rice for matches against the Storm and Roseau beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday before hosting Big Lake at 4 p.m. Monday.