BEMIDJI 鈥� The Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 girls tennis team is 0-0, at least according to head coach Kyle Fodness.
Officially, the Lumberjacks are 15-0. They defeated Fergus Falls 4-3 and Moorhead 7-0 at a home triangular on Thursday to retain their undefeated record.
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But for Fodness, the win and loss columns matter less than the individual growth offered by each match.
鈥淥ur goal is never to simply win 鈥� the goal is, win or lose, you play the best match you can play,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥淪o (we鈥檙e) 0-0 (with) an opportunity to improve and play your best. If (we) lose, we want to play our best. If we win, we want to play our best."
In Thursday鈥檚 pair of wins, Fodness made some switches across the lineup to continue honing in on that individual growth and team chemistry.
Senior Sam Wood, who hitherto had been a consistent feature of Bemidji鈥檚 doubles lineup, was slotted into No. 4 singles against Moorhead in the second match of the afternoon.
鈥淐oach came up to me and said, 鈥楧o you want to play singles once?鈥� and I was like, 鈥榊eah, put me in,鈥欌�� Wood said. 鈥淚 was so excited that I think I just took that energy out onto the court.鈥�
She won in two sets, 6-0 and 6-1, and picked up the first singles win of her high school career.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 just do it as a throwaway thing, there are some things you can work on in the singles court,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥淵ou never know 鈥� you鈥檙e in a playoff match or whatever 鈥� when your number might be called to slide over into a certain lineup. 鈥� Sam definitely played very well, and that was a good opportunity for her. 鈥�
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Elena Peterson also stepped into a slightly different role against Moorhead.
Spending most of this season near the top of the singles lineup, Peterson was placed at No. 1 doubles alongside Megan Berg.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been looking for a few chances to get some experience over on that side, mix some things up,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥�(It鈥檚) the flow of the season 鈥� sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn鈥檛. So we鈥檝e just had her playing a few extra singles matches and today, we thought this was an opportunity to move her over and it ended up working out well. (Peterson and Berg) played a good match and showed some chemistry.鈥�
The duo continued to show off Bemidji鈥檚 ability to swap around the lineup without missing a beat, winning their two sets 6-1 and 6-3.
鈥淲e all just play so well together,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淚 had a lot of fun at four singles, now Elena鈥檚 over at first doubles and everyone鈥檚 just doing really good. You can just see it, everyone鈥檚 just having fun. It鈥檚 great how versatile this whole team is.鈥�
Though the team鈥檚 versatility has been a clear strength throughout the season, there are a few players who have excelled in specific roles and have mostly stuck to said roles.
Berg, who secured two wins at No. 1 doubles Thursday 鈥� first with Lilly Caron, then with Peterson 鈥� has been one of those players.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to think of her not having a partner, because what a waste, in a way, of such a positive partner,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥淚f you made a list of people on the team that people really wanted to play with, Megan is not losing many of those votes. 鈥� She can kind of anchor a No. 1 doubles spot right now, but she鈥檚 another one with how athletic she is, she certainly has the tools to play singles.鈥�
Liz Peterson has excelled on the other side of the court, pitching competitive performances consistently at or near the top of the singles lineup.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e great anchors to the team,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淚 never really doubt that (Liz is) going to secure a win. Megan, she鈥檚 just so consistent. I think it鈥檚 great to have those players that we can kind of shift other people with because there鈥檚 the versatile players and then there鈥檚 the people that are kind of just the anchor points.鈥�
As the season progresses, the Lumberjacks may not retain their unbeaten record earned by their versatility and consistent play.
Again, though, for Fodness, it鈥檚 all about putting out the best possible performance
鈥淣o matter the opponent 鈥� maybe a little stronger skill-wise, maybe a little bit weaker skill-wise, right at your level, whatever it is 鈥� (we) say, 鈥業鈥檝e got to play my best tennis today and really get better at it,鈥欌�� Fodness said. 鈥淭hey see it as, 鈥榃e get a chance to practice today, let鈥檚 go out and have the best practice of any team in our section. Let鈥檚 go out and be a little bit better than everybody.鈥� ... It鈥檚 a chance to play tennis with their friends, and they want to be the best and make those good memories, and it鈥檚 fun when you鈥檙e playing well.鈥�
It also helps that much of that competitive nature doesn鈥檛 just come from the top down 鈥� it鈥檚 player-driven.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun when it鈥檚 a pretty intrinsically motivated team,鈥� Fodness said. 鈥淲hen I say things like that, I think they look at me and go, 鈥淒uh, why wouldn鈥檛 we go out here and work really hard and do this?鈥�
Bemidji 4, Fergus Falls 3
Singles
No. 1: Ellison (FF) def. E. Peterson 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
No. 2: L. Peterson (BHS) def. Zosel 6-2, 6-4
No. 3: Rupp (BHS) def. Bredenberg 6-0, 6-2
No. 4: Nyhusmoen (BHS) def. C. Lill 6-1, 6-3
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Doubles
No. 1: A. Lill/Fullhart (FF) def. Berg/Caron 6-2, 6-3
No. 2: Wood/McKeon (BHS) def. D. Lill/Ness 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
No. 3: Mayer/Smestad (FF) def. Myhre/Knott 6-2, 6-4
Bemidji 7, Moorhead 0
Singles
No. 1: L. Peterson (BHS) def. Grafstrom 6-3, 6-0
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No. 2: Caron (BHS) def. Stage 6-1, 6-0
No. 3: Rupp (BHS) def. Palmer 6-3, 6-0
No. 4: Wood (BHS) def. Markash 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
No.1: E. Peterson/Berg (BHS) def. Anderson/Nordin 6-1, 6-3
No. 2: McKeon/Myhre (BHS) def. Dressen/Kim 6-1, 6-2
No. 3: Knott/McNallan (BHS def. Anderson/Maehler 6-0, 6-1
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