Newton girls edge Oskaloosa in tight LHC tennis battle

OSKALOOSA — The Newton girls tennis team entered doubles play needing just one win to lock up the team victory against host Oskaloosa on Tuesday.

That’s all the Cardinals got, but it resulted in a 6-5 road win over the Indians in Little Hawkeye Conference play.

Newton won two three-set matches and two other singles matches went into a tiebreaker for one of the two sets.

The Cardinals locked up the win over Oskaloosa after Morgan Frehse and Kaetlin McPartlin claimed a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 10-5 win at No. 3 doubles.

Paige Benson (3-2) also rallied to win 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 11-9 at No. 1 singles and Brooklyn Sterling’s straight-set win at No. 3 singles was 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Emersyn Gross (3-2) also had a closely contested match at No. 6 singles. She won 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.

Frehse and Sloan Brodersen scored straight-set wins by the same score, winning 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively.

Newton was 1-4 in doubles, but one of those losses came in three sets. Olivia Bell and Ava Williams also lost their No. 5 doubles match 6-4, 6-4.

The Cardinals improved to 2-3 and 1-2 in the conference. Oskaloosa dropped to 2-2 and 0-2 in the LHC.