While Aberdeen Roncalli dropped its last dual of the season, the Cavaliers will be taking some serious momentum into the upcoming State A tennis tournament. Roncalli suffered an 8-1 setback to Sioux Falls Christian Saturday at the Northern State Courts, but the Cavaliers definitely held their own.

“If we come with that level of effort and play at state, we’ll show well. I was excited about today,” said Roncalli coach Jason Haskell. “I know it says 8-1, and it’s kind of cliché and it can kind of get wore out, the score isn’t indicative of the play, but today it absolutely was the truth. The girls played really well.”

The dual featured one super-tiebreaker, one tiebreaker, and two other sets that went to 7-5.

Raley Haskell scored a come-from-behind win at flight three singles for the Cavaliers, After dropping the opening set, the senior came back to win a tight second set 6-4, and then pulled away from a 6-6 tie to win the super breaker 10-8.

“I just had to think about the next point, just focus next point, next point, next point,” Haskell said, “because when I think about my mistakes, then I’m just mad, so I just need to focus on the next point.”

Haskell, who said the win was her best of the season, stayed aggressive, even on the pressure-packed points during the match. She said that was a key to the outcome.

“It’s really important, because when I get cautious and I try to just keep the ball in play, I make … more mistakes than I do than when I’m going for winners,” Haskell said.

That aggressive mentality is hard to maintain, but something that could benefit all the players, according to Coach Haskell.

“I think all of my girls could play in that mindset to just go for stuff, but it’s hard to do, everybody gets tight and you get up and you’re like OK I got it now, that’s the joy of tennis, the ebb and the flow, but Raley’s really found a groove here in the last probably week and a half,” Coach Haskell said, “she’s striking the ball as well as she has ever. That’s got me excited about the state tournament.”

The state tourney is Oct. 7-8 in Rapid City. Roncalli sophomore Josie Mitzel used Saturday’s match as a bit of tune up for the state tournament

“I found out I do need to work on my backhands,” Mitzel said, “and I do need to work on my serves.”

While Mitzel fell to her opponents at fifth flight singles and third flight doubles, she took some positives out of her matches.

“I hit a lot of good shots against them and I did play well at the net during doubles, and then I hit good down the line shots in singles, but the person I played against was really good,” Mitzel said. “She could run down a lot of balls.”

The Cavaliers will now use the week ahead to prepare for the state tournament.

“It’s nice to have that window to just pull back,” Coach Haskell said, “know that we’ve played really well coming up to it, and then hone our focus on a couple things here going into state.”

Sioux Falls Christian 8, Aberdeen Roncalli 1

Singles

Anna Westenberg, SFC, def. Katherine Kretchman, 7-5, 6-3.

MacKenzie Boyle, SFC, def. River Haskell, 7-5, 6-4.

Raley Haskell, AR, def. Kasey Lemstra, 2-6, 6-4, (10-8).

Eisley Roark, SFC, def. Keira Rivett, 6-3, 6-1.

Sophia Heynen, SFC, def. Josie Mitzell, 6-1, 6-1.

Piper DeBoer, SFC, Molleigh Hofer, 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles

Westenberg-Boyle, SFC, def. Kretchman-Raley Haskell, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2.

Lemstra-Roark, SFC, def. River Haskell-Rivett, 6-1, 6-2.

Heynen-DeBoer, SFC, def. Mitzel-Hofer, 6-2, 6-3.