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Cardinal tennis team declaws Tigers, 5-2

CHIPPING AWAY — Fairmont’s Parker Vetter (left) chips a backhand cross-court winner near the net as first doubles playing partner Jack Hagen backs up the play during nonconference tennis action Thursday at the Cardinal Courts in Fairmont. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — After shuffling the Cards during the last couple of dual meets, Fairmont head tennis coach Eric Johnson restored his traditional starting lineup on Thursday.

No. 2 singles netter Thomas Klanderud and No. 1 singles player Ameya Komaragiri, who combined forces at first doubles earlier in the week, quickly reeled off the first two points of the hometown Cardinals’ sweep of the bracket in Fairmont.

Teammates Noah Vetter and Ian Fortune followed suit in straight sets at third and fourth singles, respectively, to lock up Fairmont’s eventual 5-2 nonconference team triumph over the Stewartville Tigers at the Cardinal Courts.

“I think it’s easier to make the transition from doubles to singles instead of the other way around,” said Komaragiri, who lost only one game during his impressive 6-0, 6-1 first singles victory over Noah Laures.

Ironically, Komaragiri’s only loss occurred during the initial game of the second set, while Klanderud dropped the first game of his second singles clash with Gage Houdek before assembling an 11-game winning string.

Houdek rallied for two late game wins in the second set, but eventually yielded to the overpowering Klanderud by a 6-1, 6-2 decision.

Noah Vetter, who has teamed with his brother Parker at times during the current campaign, moved into the No. 4 spot in the singles bracket and coasted to back-to-back 6-0 set wins over Pierce Zimmerman for the Cardinals’ third team tally.

“We moved Noah back to singles, and bumped Ian up a spot, and they both played well today,” said Johnson.

Fortune needed only two games over the minimum — 6-2, 6-0 — to secure the decisive fourth team point over Nathaniel Hilger at the No. 3 singles position.

Jack Hagen, who’s played the majority of the season at third singles, combined court skills with Parker Vetter and Fairmont’s No. 1 tandem synchronized their game plan to a tee, generating a 6-2, 6-1 win over Josh Olson and Ethan Stone for good measure.

“I thought first doubles played opponents who were a bit unorthodox in their styles, but managed to work through any difficulties by listening to what we (coaches) had to say,” said Johnson. “They were able to counter-act what Stewartville was doing and come away with the win.”

Nolan Huggenvik and Connor Lohmann managed to fend off Fairmont’s Carter Quist and Sebastian Castro in a second doubles slugfest, 7-5, 6-3, for one of the Tigers’ two team tallies.

Leland Jeardeau and Sam McCluskey generated Stewartville’s initial point by serving back-to-back 6-0 set losses to Wylee Fredriksen and Oliver Thedens at third doubles.

Fairmont (9-7) travels to New Prague on Tuesday for a 4:30 p.m. non-league dual meet, while Stewartville plays host to Schaeffer Academy on Monday.

Varsity Results

Fairmont 5,

Stewartville 2

Singles Bracket

• Ameya Komaragiri (FMT) def. Noah Laures, 6-0, 6-1.

• Thomas Klanderud (FMT) def. Gage Houdek, 6-1, 6-2.

• Ian Fortune (FMT) def. Nathaniel Hilger, 6-2, 6-0.

• Noah Vetter (FMT) def. Pierce Zimmerman, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles Bracket

• Jack Hagen-Parker Vetter (FMT) def. Josh Olson-Ethan Stone, 6-2, 6-1.

• Nolan Huggenvik-Connor Lohmann (STEW) def. Carter Quist-Sebastian Castro, 7-5, 6-3.

• Leland Jeardeau-Sam McCluskey (STEW) def. Wylee Frederiksen-Oliver Thedens, 6-0, 6-0.

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