HOLLAND – After cruising through the OK Black Conference schedule undefeated, the Holland Christian girls tennis team faced a tougher road in the conference tournament.
The parity of the conference was on display with four teams winning flight titles, but the Maroons put seven flights in the finals and won the OK Black title on Friday at Holland.
The Maroons scored 49 points, followed by Zeeland East and Zeeland West, who tied at 35, Holland (29), Hamilton and Spring Lake (28) and Unity Christian (20). Zeeland East took second overall after adding the dual match results. Hamilton was fourth and Holland and Spring Lake tied for fifth overall.
Holland Christian’s Iyla Holmes won at No. 4 singles, defeating Zeeland East’s Trinh Kleikamp 6-4, 6-1 in the finals.
“I just tried to stay in my game and hit strong backhands and stay consistent,” Holmes said. “This means a lot (for us to win). I am new to the team this year and I have enjoyed the girls so much. This tournament everyone played at a higher level and that will help us going into regionals.”
At No. 3 doubles, the Maroons came back to win in three sets. Chloe Tait and Lily Wierenga defeated Spring lake 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the finals.
The Maroons also got a win at No. 4 doubles with Lucia VanKlompenberg and Izzy Delcalzo defeating Hamilton’s Maddie Jipping and Taylor Heer 6-3, 6-3.
Zeeland West won the other three singles flights.
Zeeland West’s Emily Haskill earned a revenge win over Holland Christian’s Gabi Rooks in the No. 1 singles final. Haskill won 6-0, 6-2.
“I didn’t go for big winners and tried to play her game against her,” Haskill said. “This is my second year in a row winning and I wasn’t expecting it. I am pretty proud of myself for how the match went.”
Harley Brown defeated Holland Christian’s Camryn Nadig 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the No. 2 singles final, also avenging an earlier loss to the Maroons.
At No. 3, Zeeland West’s Halle Reider defeated Zeeland East’s ThyAn Kleikamp 7-5, 6-1.
Zeeland East took the win at No. 1 doubles with Kendyll Samora and Keeley Boerman defeating Holland Christian’s Kassie Evenhouse and Stella Klooster 7-6(7), 7-5.
Hamilton earned the No. 2 doubles win with Abigail Atwood and Sophia Blauwkamp defeating Holland Christian’s Isa VanKlompenberg and Hope Bruinsma 6-3, 6-3 in the finals.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland Christian tennis holds off tied Zeeland East-West for OK Black conference title
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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