Tennis: Douglas scores historic win over Reno

The Douglas High girls' tennis team just keeps finding new ways to write itself into the school history books.

A week after clinching the first league title in school history, The Tigers pulled off one of the biggest wins the program has ever had.

The Tigers beat Reno 10-8 in Minden Thursday afternoon to close out the regular season, marking what is believed to be the first time any tennis team at Douglas, boys or girls, has beaten the perennial powerhouse in a dual match.

Nine of Douglas' 10 points came from two-time regional champion Amelia Ritger, freshman Kari TenBroeck and the doubles team of Sarah and Emily Weaver.

Ritger defeated Reno's top three singles players, including two-time state qualifier Shelly Tone, Constanza Ponce de Leon and Mary Garcia, all of who are expected to be seeded in the top five coming out of the High Desert League, and only lost one game in the process.

She outscored Reno 18 games to one on the day.

"Amelia made it look easy," Douglas coach Roger Rusmisel said. "She made fewer than a dozen unforced errors in three sets and used her power when needed."

Ritger finished off her last set, which clinched the team win, with a stinging cross-court backhand and had an unreturnable power serve for the final two points.

The Weaver sisters won all three of their sets, including a 7-6 (7-4) tiebreaker win in the final round to put the Tigers in position for the win.

"Both girls had their first serves, which are among the hardest in Northern Nevada, working to put pressure on their opponents," Rusmisel said. "Both players had to put away volleys for winners in the decisive tiebreaker."

TenBroeck won her three sets, putting herself in position for a high seed out of the Sierra League as well, while the doubles team of Jamie Lundergreen and Linsey Glass picked up the final point of the day for Douglas with a 6-4 win in the third round.

Douglas wrapped up a perfect regular season at 10-0 and enters next week's regional team playoffs as the only unbeaten team. The Tigers will be at home Tuesday at 3 p.m. for the first round of the playoffs.