Newton girls fall to Norwalk, Boone in tennis action

NORWALK — Paige Benson recovered from a tough first-set loss and Emersyn Gross edged her opponent in a tight three-set contest during the Newton girls tennis team’s Little Hawkeye Conference opener against Norwalk on Tuesday.

The Cardinals though came up short on the road, falling 8-3 to the host Warriors.

It was the season opener for Norwalk, while Newton fell to 1-2 on the season.

Benson defeated Julia Palen 5-7, 7-5, 10-4 at No. 1 singles and Gross downed Naomi Lors 6-2, 2-6, 12-10 at No. 6 singles.

Newton’s other win came at No. 3 doubles as Brooklyn Sterling and Camryn Andrew defeated Lors and Kierdyn Stockwell 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 12-10.

Sterling lost a competitive singles match 6-3, 7-5 in the No. 3 spot and Morgan Frehse dropped her No. 4 singles match 6-3, 6-4.

Alexis Dirksen and Gross lost 7-5, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles, too.

Boone 11, Newton 0

BOONE — Sloan Brodersen lost a two-set tiebreaker and Benson and Frehse both came up just short in one of their two sets, but the Cardinals lost 11-0 to Boone on Monday.

All 11 matches were decided in straight sets. The Toreadors are now 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 30-1 in matches this season.

Benson lost 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1 singles, Frehse dropped a 6-1, 7-5 match at No. 2 singles and Brodersen fell 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) at No. 5 singles.

Sterling’s loss at No. 3 singles was 6-3, 6-3 and Gross dropped her No. 6 singles match 6-3, 6-2.

Benson and Frehse teamed up at No. 1 doubles and lost 6-2, 6-4 and Dirksen and Gross fell 6-3, 6-3 in their doubles match.