The MHS girls tennis team will use the motto, Rise Above It, to keep them motivated during the 2017 season. “The ‘it’ in our... Milbank Girls Tennis Team Plans to Rise Above Adversity

The MHS girls tennis team will use the motto, Rise Above It, to keep them motivated during the 2017 season. “The ‘it’ in our motto is any form of adversity, on or off the court, that needs to be overcome,” says Bulldog Head Coach Jim Dahl. “We need to grow in the area of keeping our composure when ‘IT’ doesn’t go our way.”

He says fewer players this season could provide challenges for Milbank. “This year we only have 9 players. You need 10 to go into the Minnesota format to play, but we will just have to forfeit a doubles match or see if they will allow a girl to play twice to fill in that 7th point during a match.” Dahl will have no assistants this season due to the number of players.

Jodi DeVaal is the lone senior on the team. The only other returning letterwinner is freshman Halli Essington. Essington earned the consolation championship title at the state meet last year.

Players fighting for varsity positions include: junior – Abby Michels; sophomores – Rhianna Cantine and Rhianna Welberg; freshmen Jenna Johnson and Mackenzie Michels; and eighth- graders Hattie Muellenbach and Alexis Ninneman.

Dahl is in his 16th year as coach and holds a 71-54 record against Class A schools. He is 84-174 overall. “There are 23 teams in the state – six are Class A size and 17 are AA size,” he says.

2017 Girls Tennis Schedule:

Date Name Location Time
8/19/2017 BEE Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Milbank 10:00 a.m. CT
8/22/2017 Madison Madison 4:00 p.m. CT
8/25/2017 LQPV-Marshall Madison, MN 3:00 p.m. CT
8/29/2017 Aberdeen Central Aberdeen 1:00 p.m. CT
8/29/2017 Aberdeen Roncalli Aberdeen 3:30 p.m. CT
9/5/2017 Watertown Milbank 4:00 p.m. CT
9/8/2017 Brandon Valley Invite SF Lincoln 12:00 p.m. CT
9/11/2017 LQPV JV & MS Milbank 4:30 a.m. CT
9/16/2017 Elliot Extravaganza Aberdeen 9:00 a.m. CT
9/19/2017 Aberdeen Central Milbank 1:00 p.m. CT
9/23/2017 Brookings Brookings 10:00 a.m. CT
9/23/2017 Yankton Brookings 12:30 p.m. CT
9/26/2017 Aberdeen Roncalli Milbank 1:00 p.m. CT
9/28/2017 Benson Benson, MN 3:00 p.m. CT
10/2/2017 Watertown JV & MS Watertown 4:00 p.m. CT
10/5/2017 State Tournament Sioux Falls TBA
10/6/2017 State Tournament Sioux Falls TBA
10/7/2017 State Tournament Sioux Falls TBA

Pictured is senior Jodi DeVaal.

Staff Writer

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