The Raiders ran into a wall this week, dropping three straight matches to Maple Grove, Eagan, and Elk River. While the final scores leaned heavily against Hastings, there were bright spots, especially in doubles play, where the team showed resilience and flashes of potential.
Against Maple Grove, Hastings struggled to get a foothold in singles. Sophia Johnson, playing No. 1, lost 6-1, 6-2 to Rylee Toms. Jenna Brommerich fell 6-0, 6-1 to Lacey Blizzard. Evy Hogan battled at No. 3 but came up short 6-4, 6-3 against Lydia Yarbrough. Briella Bauer dropped her match at No. 4, 6-2, 6-0 to Anne Chacko. The highlight came in doubles, where Brooklyn and Reese Keller took the first set 6-2 at the top spot, then dropped the second 6-0. In a tight super tiebreak, they fell just short, 10-8. The remaining doubles teams couldn’t keep pace, both losing in straight sets.
In the matchup against Eagan, the Raiders faced another tough lineup. Brooklyn Keller moved into the No. 1 singles role and lost 6-0, 6-1 to Cassandra Li. Reese Keller came close to stealing a set at No. 2, pushing Amelia Johnson to a tiebreak before falling 7-6, 6-4. Evy Hogan and Annie Majeski couldn’t break through in their matches. Eagan also controlled the doubles courts, with all three Hastings pairs losing in straight sets despite solid effort. Brommerich and Johnson played at No. 1, Kirk and Sieben at No. 2, and Kochendorfer and Seaman at No. 3.
Against Elk River, the Raiders picked up their only win of the week. The Keller sisters took control at No. 1 doubles, beating Josie Hughes and Katya Aliakseichyk 6-0, 6-1. It was a sharp, focused performance that stood out in an otherwise difficult stretch. The rest of the matches leaned heavily in Elk River’s favor. In singles, Evy Hogan, Maelyn Kirk, Nolee Kochendorfer, and Samantha Seaman were all swept in two sets. In doubles, Johnson and Brommerich dropped the No. 2 match 6-2, 6-0, and Nelson and Majeski lost at No. 3, 6-2, 6-3.
Despite the overall results, several players stood out. Brooklyn Keller held down a leadership role at the top of the lineup, showing strong court presence whether in singles or alongside her sister in doubles. Reese Keller not only helped notch the team’s lone win but also came close to pulling off a singles upset. Evy Hogan continued to bring competitive energy at No. 3 singles, even when the odds weren’t in her favor.
The final scores may not reflect it, but the Raiders are showing signs of growth. Their top doubles team has proven they can compete, and with continued work on closing out tight sets, the team has a foundation to build on. The goal now is to turn narrow losses into wins and carrying competitive energy across every court. This week didn’t go their way, but the fight is still there.
The next chance to catch the girls in action is at home against Simley on Sept. 17, then road trips to Mahtomedi on Sept. 18 and Visitation on Sept. 22. All matches begin shortly after 4:00 p.m.