MACA/WCA starts 9-0

By Sam Peterson

Grant County Herald

The MACA/WCA girls tennis team has hit the ground running and have already played nine team matches, winning all nine of them. Last week, the team played in six dual matches in three days. The team started in Osakis Aug. 25 and earned wins over Osakis, Melrose and Wadena-Deer Creek. Two days later, MACA/WCA held their home opener in Morris against New London-Spicer and pulled off a 5-2 win. The team wrapped up the week at Lac qui Parle Valley High School Aug. 28 and finished with wins over Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd and Marshall to improve their team record to 9-0 to start the season. 

MACA/WCA 4

Osakis 3

In another competitive matchup, the MACA/WCA was able to stay perfect as a team, taking all four singles matches to earn a 4-3 win over Osakis. 

MACA/WCA dominated singles play, winning all four matches in straight sets. Lydia Sweep won the top singles match 6-0, 6-2. At two singles, Samantha Konz picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win. Lauren Sweep played three singles and earned a 6-3, 6-0 win. Leah Schei was the four singles player and she won 6-4, 6-4. 

Osakis had the advantage in all three doubles matches, winning in straight sets, but the four singles win helped to push MACA/WCA to a one-point team win.

Singles – (1) Lydia Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Mataya Moore 6-0, 6-2; (2) Samantha KTonz, MACA/WCA, def. Madison Stigman 6-1, 6-4; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Rayna Zimmel 6-3, 6-0; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Serena Moore 6-4, 6-4

Doubles – (1) Erika Baker/Lexy Marthaler, Osakis, def. Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren 6-2, 6-3; (2) Annie Anderson/Jena Nelson, Osakis, def. Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson 6-3, 6-1; (3) Makia Herickhoff/Alexis Bruder, Osakis, def. Josie Swanson/Claire Maras 6-3, 6-1

MACA/WCA 7

Melrose 0

MACA/WCA cruised in their matchup against the Dutchmen. They shutout Melrose, winning all seven matches in just two sets. 

Lydia Sweep pulled off a double-donut, winning the one singles match 6-0, 6-0. Konz also dominated at two singles with a 6-0, 6-1 win. At three singles, Lauren Sweep won 6-1, 6-0 and Schei won the four singles match 6-3, 6-3.

MACA/WCA also swept all three doubles matches. Ruby Lhotka and Annabella Ekren won the one doubles match 6-3, 6-4. Bethany Backman and Magdalyne Culbertson played two doubles and they won 6-2, 6-2. At three doubles, the MACA/WCA team of Josie Swanson and Claire Maras earned a 6-4, 6-2 win to complete the sweep.

Singles – (1) Lydia Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Rachel Welle 6-0, 6-0; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Kendall Beuning 6-0, 6-1; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Avery Braegelmann 6-1, 6-0; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Faith Meyer 6-3, 6-3

Doubles – (1) Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren, MACA/WCA, def. Molly Rue/Annabelle Lester 6-3, 6-4; (2) Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson, MACA/WCA, def. Aria Hammond/Alexandria LaForge 6-2, 6-2; (3) Josie Swanson/Claire Maras, MACA/WCA, Abigail Koltes/Maci Soenneker 6-4, 6-2

MACA/WCA 4

WDC 3

After another narrow win over Wadena-Deer Creek, the MACA/WCA girls tennis team has started the 2026 season with a perfect 5-0 team record.

Once again, MACA/WCA did their damage in singles play. Lydia Sweep finished a perfect 3-0 day with a 6-1, 6-0 win at one singles. Konz also picked up her third win of the day at two singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win. Lauren Sweep won again at three singles with a double-donut 6-0, 6-0. At four singles, Schei earned a 6-4, 6-0 win.

WDC was able to sweep all three doubles matches with two straight set wins and a 2-1 win at two doubles. 

Singles – (1) Lydia Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Claire Coyle 6-1, 6-0; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Emma Weniger 6-2, 6-1; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Emma Weniger 6-2, 6-1; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Ellie Goldberg 6-0, 6-0; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Britta Ferris 6-4, 6-0

Doubles – (1) Chloe Philippy/Kendra Leeseberg, WDC, def. Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren 6-2, 7-6 (4); (2) Ariana Dutke/Lydia Aldrich, WDC, def. Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson 5-7, 6-4, 10-7; (3) Jilliann Hagen/Ashlynn Kern, WDC, def. Josie Swanson/Claire Maras 6-3, 7-5

MACA/WCA 5

NLS 2

MACA/WCA was able to host their home opener for 2026 when they welcomed NLS to Morris and they were able to stay perfect on the season with a 5-2 team win over the Wildcats. 

Three of the four singles matches went to MACA/WCA. Sam Konz cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win at two singles, Lauren Sweep also had smooth sailing, winning 6-0, 6-2 at three singles and Leah Schei pulled off a 6-2, 6-4 win at four singles for MACA/WCA.

Lhotka and Ekren earned a point for MACA/WCA with a 6-2, 6-3 win at one doubles and at three doubles, Josie Swanson and Claire Maras won 6-0, 6-2 win.

Singles – (1) Brooke Glauvitz, NLS, def. Lydia Sweep 7-6(3), 6-1; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Chelsea Gardner 6-1, 6-0; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Athena Peterson 6-0, 6-2; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Lenora Hanson 6-2, 6-4

Doubles – (1) Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren, MACA/WCA, def. Erin Pederson/Ayla Werder 6-2, 6-3; (2) Emma Snow/Jillian Skretvedt, NLS, def. Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson 6-3, 6-4; (3) Josie Swanson/Claire Maras, MACA/WCA, def. Claire Olson/Indianna Johnson 6-0, 6-2

MACA/WCA 5

LqPV/DB 2

The Tigers took on the host of the triangular on Friday against LqPV/DB and picked up their eighth-straight win by a score of 5-2. 

MACA/WCA dominated in the singles play, winning all four matches, including two shutout wins. Lydia and Lauren Sweep both shutout their opponents 6-0, 6-0 at one and three singles. Konz improved to 8-0 on the season with a 6-1, 6-0 win at two singles. Leah Schei played four singles and won in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. 

LqPV/DB had the advantage in doubles play, winning two of the three contests. The one win for MACA/WCA came from Bethany Backman and Magdalyne Culbertson in a three set battle 4-6, 6-3, 12-10. 

Singles – (1) Lydia Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Camryn Olesen 6-0, 6-0; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Greta Hacker, 6-1, 6-0; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Karcyn Wittnebel 6-0, 6-0; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Maarie Falness 6-2, 6-3

Doubles – (1) Brianna Borstad/Reese Koosman, LqPV/DB, def. Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren 6-4, 1-6, 10-4; (2) Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson, MACA/WCA, def. Aidyn Bonn/Riley Clark 4-6, 6-3, 12-10; (3) Makyah Coubal/Kaci Tweet, LqPV/DB, def. Josie Swanson/Claire Maras 6-3, 6-2

MACA/WCA 7

Marshall 0

MACA/WCA earned their third shutout team win of the season when they took down Marshall at LqPV High School. The 7-0 blowout improved MACA/WCA to 9-0 through just over a week of competition.

Konz and Lauren Sweep both improved to 9-0 on the season. Konz won the two singles match 6-1, 6-0 and Lauren Sweep won the three singles match 6-0, 6-1. Lydia Sweep moved to 7-2 on the year with a 6-2, 6-2 win at one singles. Schei won her seventh straight match to start the year at four singles with a 6-3, 6-1 win. 

In doubles, Lhotka and Ekren battled through three sets in the one doubles match, but did win 6-1, 1-6, 10-8. At two doubles, Backman and Culbertson also won a three-set match 4-6, 6-4, 10-4. Swanson and Maras played three doubles for MACA/WCA and won 7-6 (3), 6-0.

MACA/WCA went on the road to Sauk Centre to play the Mainstreeters Sept. 1. Next on the schedule, MACA/WCA will be back at home against Yellow Medicine East Thursday, Sept. 3 in Morris.

Singles – (1) Lydia Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Cora Medina 6-2, 6-2; (2) Samantha Konz, MACA/WCA, def. Julia Pafko 6-1, 6-0; (3) Lauren Sweep, MACA/WCA, def. Emry Jans 6-0, 6-1; (4) Leah Schei, MACA/WCA, def. Greta Bailey 6-3, 6-1

Doubles – (1) Ruby Lhotka/Annabella Ekren, MACA/WCA, def. Raya Goergen/Harlow Ogren 6-1, 1-6, 10-8; (2) Bethany Backman/Magdalyne Culbertson, MACA/WCA, def. Ava Weller/Madeline Kisner 4-6, 6-4, 10-4; (3) Josie Swanson/Claire Maras, MACA/WCA, def. Mallory Wendorff/Kinley Boerboom 7-6(3), 6-0