The Hastings Raiders girls tennis team packed several matches into their last week of regular season play, showing determination and flashes of strong play despite coming up short in the win column. The squad faced Mahtomedi, Hill-Murray, and Two Rivers, finishing with close contests, steady singles success, and hard-fought battles across the board.
It all began on September 18 at Mahtomedi, where the Raiders fell 5-2. The Keller sisters once again provided consistency at the top of the singles lineup. Brooklyn Keller looked sharp at No. 1, rolling to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Lily Carlson. Right behind her, younger sister Reese was even more dominant, blanking Abby Manger 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2. The rest of the lineup had tougher sledding, with Evy Hogan dropping a 6-0, 6-2 decision to Braelyn Skow and Briella Bauer battling hard but coming up short 7-5, 6-3 at the fourth singles spot. In doubles, Mahtomedi proved too strong, sweeping all three courts in straight sets.
Two evenings later, Hastings hosted Hill-Murray in another matchup that ended 5-2. Once again, the Raiders found their points from the top of the lineup, with Brooklyn Keller dispatching Madeline Bergerson 6-1, 6-0, and Reese Keller following with a crisp 6-1, 6-1 win over Sedona Stumpf. Despite the early momentum, Hill-Murray steadied themselves and controlled the rest of the matches. Hogan dropped her match at No. 3 to Brooke Gabel, while Wills Nelson battled before falling 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4 singles. The doubles teams faced stiff challenges, as Hill-Murray swept across all three courts with a mix of power and consistency.
The Raiders closed out the week on September 25 at Two Rivers, and this time they nearly turned the tide. The final score favored the hosts 4-3, but Hastings showed resilience and fought until the very end. Once again, the Keller duo led the way. Brooklyn made quick work of Bryn Christopherson at No. 1, winning 6-0, 6-0, while Reese controlled her match against Erica Eckmann with a 6-1, 6-0 score. With the sisters providing two early points, the Raiders needed just a couple more to flip the result. Hogan and Nelson both dropped their singles matches in straight sets, leaving doubles to decide the day.
At No. 1, the team of Emery Hedeen and Sophia Johnson fell 6-3, 6-2, while the No. 2 pairing of Maelyn Kirk and Samantha Seaman dropped a tight 6-3, 6-4 match. That left the No. 3 doubles team of Annie Majeski and Bauer, who delivered in dramatic fashion. The duo split the first two sets with Gabby Stevens and Kyla Gatti, then held their nerve in the third set, grinding out a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory to secure Hastings’ third point.
Although the Raiders finished the week with three losses, the results showed a clear pattern: strength at the top and glimpses of growing confidence deeper in the lineup. Brooklyn and Reese have been steady anchors, combining for a perfect 6-0 record across the three matches, rarely dropping more than a handful of games. Majeski and Bauer’s clutch win at Two Rivers also provided a spark, giving the Raiders momentum to build on as they enter the final stretch of the season.
With the effort and energy on display this week, the Raiders showed they are not far off from turning these close matches into wins. If the doubles teams can continue to gel and the middle of the singles lineup finds its footing, Hastings will be a team to watch in the section team tournament this week.