St. Edmond pitches shutout on Senior Day

Submitted photo: St. Edmond senior tennis players (left to right) Lucy Midtling, Ava Andrew, Ava Underberg and Maggie Flaherty stand together on Tuesday.
It was a perfect Senior Day for the St. Edmond girls tennis team here on Tuesday as they swept Hampton-Dumont/CAL, 9-0.
The three-time defending North Central Conference champion Gaels lost just three total games in singles and five in doubles.
Seniors Ava Andrew and Ava Underberg claimed victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions, pairing up to score a doubles victory at the top spot as well. St. Edmond also honored seniors Lucy Midtling and Maggie Flaherty.
Andrew downed Jade Johnson, 8-0, and Underberg earned an 8-1 victory over Yesenia Valenzuela.
Chloe Palmer, Abby Huss, Olivia Andrew and Sophia Schlienz all added singles wins. Huss and Andrew won by matching scores of 8-0, as Palmer and Schlienz both lost just one game each.
“The girls have been focused all year long,” SEHS head coach Shawn Neverman said. “Senior Day is always an emotional time, but they were able to both enjoy the moment while also taking care of business out on the courts.
“We still have work to do, but this was a good win and a great way to honor Ava, Ava, Lucy and Maggie.”
Palmer and Huss, along with Andrew and Schlienz, completed the sweep with wins in doubles.
Over the past four years, the Gaels have gone 42-8 in duals, winning three consecutive NCC regular season and tournament titles in the process. They also qualified for the Class 1A team state tournament last spring.
“When the year is over with, it will be great to look back at the accomplishments we’ve had over the past four seasons,” Neverman said. “But knowing these girls, they don’t want to do that right now. They have big goals still out there.”
Midtling and Flaherty earned a victory in junior varsity doubles, as did Lizzy Tiernan and Nina Smith, and Avenlee Hayek and Mary Ella Gruver.
The Gaels head to Webster City on Tuesday for more NCC action beginning at 4:15 p.m.