Comet netters edge Green Devils 5-4 in season sweep

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

OSAGE — Comet freshman tennis player Jacy Hall is also a softball shortstop.

“Her team did well at a softball tournament,” Charles City girls tennis coach Brian Parrott said. “I asked her how many hits she got, and she said ‘lots’. Then I asked her how many runs she scored … ‘lots’ she said again.”

Hall may keep fuzzy personal softball statistics, but she is not nearly as ambiguous when it comes to the rules of tennis.

Teamed up with fellow Comet freshman Joselin Bonnstetter in a marathon No. 3 doubles match against Osage seniors Sophia Ketelsen and Paige Mehmen during Charles City’s makeup road dual meet against the Green Devils on Tuesday, Hall made the “point loss” call after the racquet of one of the Osage players made contact with the net during a shot.

Though high school players generally make their own consensus rulings during matches, it was certainly a bold assertion for a freshman as it was the deciding point in a 9-7 pro-set final that lasted more than 90 minutes.

It also was one of five match wins for the Comets who edged the Green Devils 5-4 to complete the regular-season sweep — Charles City won the previous dual against Osage (7-2) three weeks ago at Sportsmen’s Park.

Other Comet victories included sophomore Sofia Alinea defeating Osage sophomore Marley Kerrick 8-3 at No. 1 singles — Parrott jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Kerrick rallied to win the next three games but couldn’t pull closer; sophomore Sofia Parrott defeating Taylor Swenson 8-1 at No. 6 singles; and Alinea and Parrott besting Kerrick and Swenson 8-2 in No. 1 doubles.

The clincher for the Comets proved to be the No. 2 singles match. Green Devil senior Sophia Ketelsen took a 2-1 lead over Comet senior Anya Ruzicka before Ruzicka started getting more of her first serves in and seized control of the match (8-4).

After the Comets secured the meet victory, the Green Devils were able to win the final two varsity matches with junior Mylie Havig defeating senior Marissa Avelar 6-3 at No. 3 singles, and junior Ella Sparrow defeating Hall 8-6 at No. 4 singles.

Senior Paige Mehmen defeated Bonnstetter 8-5 at No. 5 singles; Havig and Sparrow defeated Avelar and Ruzicka 8-6 at No. 2 doubles for the other Osage wins.

The Comets will travel to Decorah on Monday to participate in the Class 1A Singles and Doubles Regional.

The regional lineup for Charles City will include Alinea and Parrott for singles, and Avelar and Ruzicka for doubles. Play starts at 8 a.m.