Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – West High came up just shy of a third consecutive trip to the state tennis tournament on Tuesday.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort.

Missing one if its regulars in its lineup West High battled to the end in a 5-4 loss to Dubuque Hempstead in the Class 2A, Region 2 final match at Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in Iowa City.

“The cards were definitely stacked against us with missing our number one player but I think all of the girls stepped up and gave full effort the entire time,” West High coach Nina Marquardt said. “Even if they were down they never stopped giving their best and as a coach that’s all I can really ask.”

Dubuque Hempstead (15-2) avenged a 7-2 regular loss to West High back in April with the win and will face defending 2A state champion West Des Moines Dowling (10-3-1) in a Class 2A state tournament opening round match on Saturday at 10 a.m.

West Des Moines Dowling defeated Council Bluffs Lewis Central and Marshalltown 5-0 on Tuesday to earn its state tournament spot.

“We hadn’t played Hempstead since our very first meet so it had been a long time since we had seen this type of match,” Marquardt said. “I was so proud of how our girls played.

West High (13-3) defeated City High 5-1 in the regional semifinal on Tuesday while Dubuque Hempstead advanced with a 5-0 semifinal win over Liberty High 5-0 in a meet that was moved indoors at HTRC due to rain throughout the day.

The regional final came down to the final doubles match.

Dubuque Hempstead took a 4-2 lead in singles play after Claire Kelley outlasted West High freshman Iris Vasi 15-13 in the third set in number one singles.

“I was really impressed because you never really know how players with play when they have a lot of pressure on them,” Marquardt said. “When you see them excel, even when it’s not the outcome we want, I am so proud of them.”

Kelley then helped the Mustangs secure a spot at state as she teamed with Addy Lugrain for a 7-5, 6-3 win over the West High tandem of Marie Stier and Claire Hahn at number one doubles.

“All season long our number one strength was being a team and being a family and that’s what carried them through today,” Marquardt said. “That’s what I was most proud of today.”

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