Right smack-dab in the middle of its conference and regional tournaments, the girls varsity tennis team played host to the Hudsonville Eagles. Coming off of the OK White Conference Tournament last week, the Lady Rangers had one final chance in the 2021 season to claim victory in a straightforward dual. Unfortunately for FHC, Hudsonville came out swinging and toppled the Rangers by a large margin of 8-0.

FHC nearly started the night on the right foot. Freshman Lily Ohlman was able to win her first set 6-3 before dropping her next two to Hudsonville’s Jorja Brouwer at first singles. Likewise, the duo of freshman Lucy Wu and sophomore Ella Hunnewell triumphed in the first set but would crumble and lose in a match that featured a fantastic 9-11 third set.

Other than these matches, the Rangers truly struggled against Hudsonville. The Eagles established their pace and dominance early on; they stayed in control of this throughout the match. Despite recent successes for various girls, FHC’s performance against Hudsonville was one to forget.  

While the Rangers’ appearance on the stat sheet may be a shortcoming, this does not undermine the spectacular development of both upper and underclassmen this particular season. The Lady Rangers’ ability to flip the switch is perhaps overlooked heading into regionals. 

“The biggest improvement is our girls’ play as a whole. I’m a firm believer in playing against great teams, which helps us improve and makes us better,” head coach Dan Bolhouse said. “I could discuss the improvements of every girl on the team; it’s been fun to be a part of it and I love this team.”

The girls varsity tennis team wraps up its official season on Friday, May 21. The Rangers will partake in the MHSAA Regional Tournament at 8:30 AM at the FHC and FHN tennis courts. With a top-two placement or a total of 18 points, the Lady Rangers will qualify for the state tournament.