Newton girls tennis downs Oskaloosa on Senior Night

The Newton girls tennis team celebrated Senior Night with a conference win over Oskaloosa on Thursday.

The Cardinals won all six singles matches and a varsity lineup featuring six seniors downed the Indians 8-3 during Little Hawkeye Conference action at Aurora Heights Park.

Madison Rinehart was the lone senior to win both matches, but Newton turned back Oskaloosa in large part because of strong singles play.

Rinehart won her match at No. 2 singles 7-5, 3-6, 11-9 and then teamed up with Lex Dirksen to win 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 doubles.

Lauryn Garrett also won her match at No. 1 singles in three sets. She rallied to win 2-6, 6-1, 10-6.

Ella Swarts, Olivia Hotchkin, Izzy Wilson and Dirksen joined Rinehart and Garrett in the win column.

Swarts won her No. 3 singles match 6-2, 7-5, Hotchkin swept her match 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4 singles and Wilson downed her opponent 6-0, 6-4 at No. 5 singles. Dirksen scored a narrow 7-5, 7-5 victory at No. 6 singles.

The final win came at No. 4 doubles as Paige Benson and Brooklyn Sterling won 6-3, 6-3.

Even the three losses were close. Swarts and Hotchkin fell 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) and Garrett and Wilson and Avery Potter and Morgan Frehse each lost in three sets.

Newton (4-4, 3-3 in the conference) recognized 10 Cardinals on Senior Night. That group included Garrett, Rinehart, Swarts, Hotchkin, Wilson, Potter, Alyssa Beerends, Jacy Linahon, Sage Scharber and Kelly Turcios.

Oskaloosa dropped to 1-5 and 0-4 in the conference.