RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Aberdeen Central girls’ tennis program split a pair of matches to open the season Friday in Rapid City as part of the West River Invitational.

Central fell 8-1 to Rapid City Stevens, but rebounded with a 6-3 win over Rapid City Christian to close out the first day of the two-day event.

“You could see a lot of nerves,” said Central coach John Vogel of the Golden Eagles’ season-opening match. “It was our first match of the season, and we were a nervous group. So I liked what I saw in the second match a lot better.”

Carly Comstock picked up a pair of wins at number two singles, then added a doubles victory with partner Livia Douglas against Rapid City Christian for good measure.

Other singles winners included Laney Gonsor, Alice Vogel and Avery Tennant at flights four, five and six. Gonsor and Charlee Galvin, a pairing that was decided just Friday morning, earned a win at number three doubles, as well.

“We were very evenly matched with Rapid City Christian, and some of those matches went down to the wire,” Coach  Vogel said. “Carly played great in that one, and Alice won a tiebreak. She was up in the second set big, then fell apart, so I was really glad to see her win a tiebreak.”

Vogel also noted that Tennant’s patient win at number six was a big step for the eighth-grader.

Overall, it was a refreshing change of pace to play actual matches, Vogel said.

“We were so sick of playing each other,” he said.

Central will close out its stay in Rapid City by facing Rapid City Central and St. Thomas More today. Both squads are reportedly improved from last season, Vogel said.

“I really hope that scouting report is true,” he said. “We’re still tweaking some things and you want to do that agaisnt good teams.”

Rapid City Stevens 8, Aberdeen Central 1
Singles
Ali Scott (RCS) def. Emily Ringgenberg 6-1, 6-3.
Carly Comstock (AC) def. Evelyn Haar 6-1, 7-6 (7-2).
Anna Mueller (RCS) def. Livia Douglas 6-0, 6-0.
Abby Sherrill (RCS) def. Laney Gonsor 7-5, 6-2.
Emma Thurness (RCS) def. Alice Vogel 6-0, 6-1.
Kaiya Parkin (RCS) def. Avery Tennant 6-2, 6-4.
Doubles
Scott-Thurness (RCS) def. Ringgenberg-Vogel 6-0, 6-4.
Sherrill-Parkin (RCS) def. Comstock-Douglas 6-2, 6-4.
Mueller-Bella Scott (RCS) def. Gonsor-Charlee Galvin 6-2, 3-6, 10-5.

Aberdeen Central 6, Rapid City Christian 3
Singles
Ella Hancock (RCC) def. Emily Ringgenberg 6-0, 6-1.
Carly Comstock (AC) def. Hannah Bechloff 6-4, 6-2.
Zeah Ryherd (RCC) def. Livia Douglas 6-3, 6-3.
Laney Gonsor (AC) def. Ciera Crawford 6-3, 6-3.
Alice Vogel (AC) def. Riley Geyer 6-3, 4-6, 10-6.
Avery Tennant (AC) def. Allison Hill 7-5, 7-5.
Doubles
Hancock-Bechloff (RCC) def. Ringgenberg-Vogel 6-2, 6-4.
Comstock-Douglas (AC) def. Crawford-Geyer 6-0, 6-3.
Gonsor-Charlee Galvin (AC) def. Ryherd-Hill 6-0, 6-1.