Submitted photo: Manuela Rodriguez returns a shot for Fort Dodge against Marshalltown on Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Courts.

The Fort Dodge girls tennis team dropped a tough 7-4 decision here Tuesday to Marshalltown.

Manuela Rodriguez, Madge Hensley and Teagan Loots were winners in singles while the doubles team of Loots and Brooklyn Kaloupek also picked up a victory for the Dodgers (0-4 overall).

“I was proud of the fight the girls put up,” Fort Dodge head coach Julie Astor said. “Manuela bounced back from a tough match at Centennial on Monday night to pick up a nice win and Madge put together a solid two sets for the victory.

“Teagan played a smart match, keeping the ball in play and her serves on point. I thought Teagan and Brooklyn did a nice job of battling back after a tough second-set loss to win the tiebreaker.”

Rodriguez, in her third season at the No. 1 spot for Fort Dodge, swept Kate Sandvick, 6-4 and 6-1. Hensley picked up a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ellie Downs while Loots won by scores of 6-4, 6-3 over Taylor Bear.

The doubles team of Mia Carpenter and Grace Rivera lost in a super-tiebreaker third set, 11-9, at No. 2 doubles

“Each day, we are improving and continue to fight hard,” Astor said. “Leah Myer stepped in for her first varsity match at No. 5 doubles and settled in nicely to play a good match with Taylor Martin.”

Fort Dodge returns to action on Thursday when they play at Des Moines North against the Polar Bears and Centerville. The triangular is slated to start at 4 p.m.