Bulldog Netters Playing at Top of Their Game

The Milbank Bulldog girls’ tennis team played their best matches of the season to earn a 7-2 victory against Stanley, Missouri, on Monday, September 2, at Cantine Courts in Milbank. “They played their best of the season so far. I am impressed with how the girls picked up their level of play to win over this team,” expressed Milbank’s head coach Abbey Trapp. “This win is a great self- confidence booster going into a couple hard matches this week.” Halli Essington, Hattie Muellenbach, Rhianna Welberg, Jenna Johnson, and Alexis Ninneman defeated their singles opponents. The No. 1 doubles pair of Essington and Muellenbach and the No. 2 pair of Rhianna Cantine and R. Welberg also earned big wins.

Milbank also took part in a triangular at Lac qui Parle Valley, Minnesota, on Friday, August 30. They split wins. “Since we played in Minnesota, we had to play their format of tennis which consists of 10 girls playing varsity,” explained Coach Trapp. “The girls could only play singles or doubles, but not both. The junior varsity girls stepped up to the varsity level and played great. I am very proud of how we did considering we had to play a different format than normal.”

Milbank fell 5-2 to LQPV. Essington and Welberg earned singles wins in the match.
Milbank then defeated Marshall, Minnesota, 4-3. Essington and Cantine earned singles victories as did Mullenbach/Welberg and Ninneman/Kayla Bury at doubles.

Results from this week’s matches:

Milbank 7 – Stanley, MIssouri 2

Singles

1. Halli Essington, 10-5 win; 2. Rhianna Cantine, 8-10 loss; 3. Hattie Muellenbach, 10-8 win; 4.

Rhianna Welberg, 10-8 win; 5. Jenna Johnson, 10-3 win; 6. Alexis Ninneman, 10-5 win; Kayla

Bury, 1-8 loss; Hope Karels, 2-8 loss; Lydia Street, 1-8 loss; Chloe Priebe, 1-8 loss.

Doubles

1. Essington/Muellenbach, 10-0 win; 2. Cantine/Welberg, 11-9 win; 3. Johnson/Ninneman, 10-
11 (2-7) loss; Bury/Karels, 3-10 loss; Street/Priebe, 0-10 loss.

Milbank 2, LQPV 5
Singles

1. Halli Essington 6-2, 4-6, 13-11 win; 2. Rhianna Welberg, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 win; 3. Alexis
Ninneman, 2-6, 2-6 loss; 4. Milbank forfeit.

Doubles

1. Muellenbach/Cantine, 4-6, 2-6 loss; 2. Bury/Johnson, 4-6, 2-6 loss; 3. Street/Priebe, 0-6, 0-6
loss.

Milbank 4 – Marshall, Minnesota 3
Singles

1. Halli Essington 6-1, 6-0 win; 2. Rhianna Cantine, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 win; 3. Jenna Johnson, 4-6, 3-6
loss; 4. Milbank forfeit.

Doubles

1. Muellenbach/Welberg, 6-3, 6-3 win; 2. Ninneman/Bury, 7-5, 6-4 win; 3. Priebe/Street, 0-6, 0-
6 loss.

Photo –Halli Essington

Submitted Photo- Alexis Ninneman