The Eagles finished first at the regional tournament last Friday!!!  Our players displayed concentration and physical endurance on the hottest day we've seen yet in order to achieve this exciting result.  The tournament took place at Gainey Athletic Complex with a secondary site located at Canepa.  The team played some of their best tennis in order to edge out competitive schools like Forest Hills Eastern, who placed 2nd, and Catholic Central, who placed 3rd.  Our doubles teams improved throughout the tournament and each of the four teams won their flight!  Grace Poortenga and Dafna Heule are the regional champs at first doubles,  Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp are regional champs at 2nd doubles, Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe are regional champs at 3rd doubles, and Chloe Westhouse and Calista Bremer are regional champs at 4th doubles.  Our singles players competed in some of the most compelling and grittiest matches of the tournament.  Ryann Breslin is the regional champ at 1st singles clutching a win against a strong FHE 1st singles.  Ainsley Weeber played a tight semifinal match against Cadillac's 2nd singles that went to three sets.  Natalie Poortenga played an extremely close match at 3rd singles against Catholic Central that went 10-12 in the first set tiebreaker.  Natalie was battling leg cramps throughout the match and essentially played on one leg for a few games in the second set before the cramps became too severe to continue play.  Alex Vermeulen played an intense semifinal match against Catholic Central at 4th singles that featured two tiebreakers, one in the first set and one in the third set. The team competed hard in the regional tournament and we are proud of every one of our player's level of effort and the guts they had to go out there and play their game! The team will be working hard at practice for the next two weeks in preparation for the State Tournament which will be played in Holland. Go Eagles!

The Eagles secured 2nd place in the Conference Tournament yesterday!!!  This is a fantastic result to achieve in such a competitive conference with schools like Forest Hills Northern, East Grand Rapids, and Byron Center.  FHN took 1st with 64 points, GRC 2nd with 50 points, and EGR 3rd with 44 points. Our players left it all out on the court from the outset and improved in several rematches against opponents we'd seen earlier in the season.  Ryann Breslin finished 3rd in the conference at 1st singles by beating FHC 8-4, and almost took 2nd from EGR in the semifinals.  Breslin was down 1-4 in the first set against EGR and came back to win that set 6-4! Ainsley Weeber took 2nd place at 2nd singles by winning against Byron Center in the semis 6-0, 5-7, 6-0. Natalie Poortenga took 2nd place at 3rd singles by sending Lowell and FHC to the back draw.  Alex Vermeulen secured 3rd place at 4th singles beating Northview 8-5.  Grace Poortenga and Dafna Heule battled in two competitive matches against Northern and EGR.  Poortenga and Heule went 3 sets with EGR and took 15 games in total to EGR's 16 games.  Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp took 2nd place by beating out Byron Center after being down a set in the semifinals 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.  Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe almost snatched 1st place from FHN going 6-7 (4-7), 5-7, and got revenge on FHC in the semifinals 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-3.  Calista Bremer and Chloe Westhouse beat FHC 6-0, 6-3, and took BC to a tiebreak in the 1st set in a close 3rd/4th place match.  Stephanie Stewart and Olivia Tuit went 4-1 in the 5th doubles round-robin tournament going 8-1 against Lowell, 8-3 against EGR, 8-5 against FHC, 8-6 against Northview, and 1-8 against FHN.  Our coaching staff is extremely proud of the team's result in the conference tournament and of the consistent effort our players put in throughout the day to earn it.  The team squares off against Catholic Central away next Monday in our last heads-up match of the season.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles played the most tightly contested match of our season yesterday against EGR with a final score of 3-5.  Every flight was neck and neck.  At 1st singles Ryann Breslin went 4-6, 4-6, at 2nd singles Ainsley Weeber went 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), at 3rd singles Olivia Tuit went 1-6, 1- 6, at 4th singles Alex Vermeulen went 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), at 1st doubles Grace Poortenga and Dafna Heule went 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, at 2nd doubles Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp went 6-3, 7-6 (7-1), at 3rd doubles Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe went 6-0, 6-1, at 4th doubles Calista Bremer and Chloe Westhouse went 5-7, 6-1, 6-7 (5-7). The team is working on identifying what made the difference on crucial points in these matches and is fired up to apply their insights in the Conference Tournament this Thursday at FHC.   Yesterday was Senior Night at Gainey. The team, family, and friends recognized our eight graduating seniors for their leadership and achievement in the Eagles Tennis Program. Grace Poortenga, Ryann Breslin, Chloe Westhouse, Dafna Heule, Lauren Peal, Elizabeth Rupp, Stephanie Stewart, and Olivia Tuit will moving on to study, compete, and flourish at the college level next year and we wish them the very best! Thank you for your contributions to our team!  Go Eagles!

The Eagles battled against an extremely strong Forest Hills Northern yesterday with a result of 0-8.  FHN was by far the best team the Eagles have seen this season, and it was a fantastic opportunity to compete against high-level players.  Our doubles teams did especially well to contest sets, and 2nd doubles clutched the 1st set of their match.  Grace Poortenga and Dafna Huele at 1st doubles fought for a 2-6, 4-6 result, 2nd doubles Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp went 6-4, 1-6, 1-6, and 3rd doubles Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe went 5-7, 2-6, 5th doubles Stephanie Stewart and Lydia Pink went 6-3, 4-6.  The team will see FHN again at the conference tournament this Thursday, and we're looking forward to improving on yesterday's performance in the event that we meet them in the draw.  The team plays EGR at home this afternoon for our last heads-up match of the season. Go Eagles!

The Eagles took home the hardware this weekend securing the team victory at the first-ever Gainey Quad Tournament!  The team won 24 out of 27 matches against Grandville, Parma West, and Spring Lake.  Parma West took 2nd place, and Grandville took 3rd.  Our doubles teams and singles players brought energy and intensity consistently throughout the day.  A special shout-out goes to Olivia Tuit, who filled in at 3rd singles, showed improvement in focus and effort throughout the day, and played her best match at the end of the day against Parma West!  Another shout-out goes to Hannah Baker and Hope Alvesteffer who were called up from JV to play at 5 doubles and won their flight outright!  This is a great result for the Eagles going into a big week that includes the conference tournament and matches against FHN and EGR.  The team faces down Nothern away this afternoon at 4pm.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles secured a dominant 8-0 win over Greenville yesterday.  Across the board, at every flight, the team did not drop a single game.  Greenville is in the process of rebuilding their team and was missing 3rd and 4th doubles teams, but this result is still extremely encouraging to see from the Eagles.  The team refused to let up their focus, minimized unforced errors, and took care of business.  Ryan Breslin won at 1st singles 6-0, 6-0, Ainsley Weeber won at 2nd singles 6-0, 6-0, Natalie Poortenga won at 3rd singles 6-0, 6-0, Alex Vermuelen won at 4th singles 6-0, 6-0, Grace Poortenga and Dafna Huele won at 1st doubles 6-0, 6-0, Lauren Peal and Elizabeth Rupp won at 2nd doubles 6-0, 6-0.  The team is looking forward to their away match at Forest Hills Northern this Thursday.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles had a solid performance at the Forest Hills Eastern Quad, which featured strong opponents Cranbrook and Chelsea who traveled from the Ann Arbor area.  Rain showers stopped play twice, but a strong wind from the southwest dried the courts up in no time.  Overall the Eagles took 3rd place in the tournament losing 2nd place to Chelsea by 2 points. Every flight featured long rallies, put-away volleys, and close matches which were a lot of fun to watch.  In individual flight results, Ryann Breslin placed 2nd at first singles, Natalie Poortenga placed 2nd at third singles, Lauren Peal and Elizabeth placed 1st at second doubles, and Ashley Wolfe and Marissa Sullivan placed 2nd at third doubles.  The team looks forward to the opportunity to play against Chelsea and Cranbrook again at the state tournament, and FHE at the upcoming regional tournament.  The team is away at Greenville this Tuesday. Go Eagles!

The Eagles clutched a win against Byron Center yesterday with a score of 5-3. The courts were still wet around 4pm but after some rolling play was able to start at 5pm.  Byron Center had some strong players and our team left their full effort out on the court. Ryann Breslin won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Ainsley Weeber won 6-3, 2-0 (default) at 2nd singles, Natalie Poortenga won 6-0, 6-0 at 3rd singles, and Alex Vermuelen won 6-3, 6-2 at 4th singles. The doubles flights were especially competitive and fun to watch. Matchplay at 1st and 2nd doubles went for two and half hours.  1st doubles Dafna Huele and Grace Poortenga worked hard in a match that could have gone either way with a final score of 6-4, 6-7, 4-6.  Lauren Peal and Liz Rupp battled at 2nd doubles with a final score of 6-3, 5-7, 5-7.  Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe won at 3rd doubles 6-3, 6-1, and Chloe Westhouse and Calista Bremer fought hard in a tight 5-7, 6-7 (6-8).  This is another encouraging result for the Eagles against a conference opponent.  The team is looking forward to squaring up with Byron center again at the Conference Tournament and getting them back in the doubles.  The Forest Hills Eastern Quad is this Saturday and the team will be competing against Cranbrook and FHN and FHE.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles showed resilience in their 6-2 win against Forest Hills Central yesterday.  All of the matches were competitive, and across the board our team dug deep mentally, working harder and improving in the 2nd and 3rd sets.  Ryann Breslin won 7-5, 6-0 at 1st singles, Ainsley Weeber played an extremely tight match at 2nd singles with a score`3-6, 6-4, 3-6, Natalie Poortenga won at 3rd singles 1-6, 6-1, 6-1,  Alex Vermuelen 7-5, 6-2 at 4th singles, Grace Poortenga and Dafna Huele won at first doubles 7-5, 6-2, Lauren Peal and Liz Rupp won at first doubles 6-1, 6-4, Marissa Sullivan and Ashley Wolfe fought hard at 3rd doubles with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, Calista Bremer and Chloe Westhouse won at 4th doubles 6-1, 6-1, and Stephanie Stewart and Alyssa Devries won at 5th doubles 8-3.  The Eagles will face FHC again at the conference tournament in a few weeks and we look forward to the chance to get them back at in a few flights and improve our performance overall.  The team will play Bryon Center at home this Thursday.  Go Eagles! 

The Eagles won their match against Holland Christian last Friday with a score of 8-5. Holland Christian had a strong team, but our players kept their cool in pressure situations and consistently fought for every point. In the singles line-up, Ryann Breslin won at 1st in a fantastic 2nd set tiebreak with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), Ainsley Weeber, Natalie Poortenga, and Alex Vermuelen at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th singles showed improved scores and performances against HC since their first match at the West Ottawa tournament.  Ainsley Weeber played a hard-fought match with many long points at 2nd, Natalie Poortenga brought her opponent at 3rd singles to a highly contested second set tiebreak, and Alex Vermuelen's play grew throughout her match at 4th almost taking the second set.  In the doubles line-up Grace Poortenga & Dafna Huele won at 1st 6-3, 6-3, Lauren Peal and Stephanie Stewart won at 2nd 7-6 (7-4), 6-3,  Marissa Sullivan & Ashley Wolfe won at 3rd 6-4, 6-4, and Chloe Westhouse & Calista Bremer won at 4th 7-5, 6-4. The Eagles look forward to their away match against Forest Hills Central this Tuesday.

The Eagles came out with the win against Northview yesterday with a score of 8-0!  Northview is a conference opponent, and the team was happy to advance their conference standing with yesterday's result.  Every flight  increased their focus and level of effort after the first set into the second.  Ryann Breslin won at 1st singles 6-0, 6-2, Ainsley Weeber won at 2nd singles 6-0, 6-3, Natalie Poortenga won at 3rd singles 6-1, 6-0, Alex Vermuelen clutched out a fantastic win at 4th singles 6-3, 7-5, Dafna Huele & Grace Poortenga won at 1st doubles 6-1, 6-0, Lauren Peal & Elizabeth Rupp won at 2nd doubles 6-1, 6-2, Marissa Sullivan & Ashley Wolfe won at 3rd doubles 6-1, 6-0, Calista Bremer & Chloe Westhouse won at 4th doubles 6-3, 6-0, and Olivia Tuit & Alyssa Devries won at 5th doubles 6-2, 6-1.  The team is looking forward to our away match against Holland Christian this afternoon.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles beat Lowell yesterday with a score 8-0.  The team has continued to take care of business by firing up and bringing a strong work ethic to matches and practices.  Ryann Breslin won 6-3, 6-1 at 1st singles, Ainsley Weeber clutched 2nd singles 7-5, 6-4, Natalie Poortenga won 3rd singles 6-2, 6-2, Alex Vermuelen won 4th singles 6-0, 6-0, Grace Poortenga & Dafna Huele won 1st doubles 6-2, 6-2, Lauren Peal & Elizabeth Rupp won 2nd doubles 6-2, 6-0, Marissa Sullivan & Ashley Wolfe won 3rd doubles 6-1, 6-2, Chloe Westhouse & Calista Bremer won at 4th doubles 6-1, 6-3.  Lowell was the first conference opponent we've faced this year and we hope to have another strong performance against our 2nd conference matchup against Northview this Thursday. Go Eagles! 

The Eagles had a dominant performance this weekend taking 1st place at the East Kentwood Invitational!  The team only dropped 2 matches throughout the entire tournament, and every position in the lineup made it to at least the semifinals of their bracket!  These fantastic results reflect the team's work ethic and ability to leave their best effort out on the court.  Ryan Breslin won the 1st singles flight handily defeating East Kentwood 6-0, 6-2 in the final.  Ainsley Weeber had a fantastic tournament going 2-1 on the day at 2nd singles losing a nail-biter to East Kentwood in the finals. Natalie Poortenga won the 3rd singles flight and played extremely well in the finals against Fruitport winning the match 6-1, 6-0.  Alex Vermuelen had a great day competing at 4th singles for the first time losing a tight 6-4, 7-5 match to Grandville in the semifinals. Grace Poortenga & Dafna Heule tore through the 1st doubles bracket beating Grandville in the finals 6-1, 6-1.  Lauren Peal & Elizabeth Rupp secured the 2nd doubles title by winning against Holland in the final 6-1, 6-1.  Marissa Sullivan & Ashley Wolfe battled their way through the 3rd doubles bracket winning two tie break sets and clutching the final with a score of 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.  Chloe Westhouse & Calista Bremer won the 4th doubles bracket with a nice win against 6-1, 6-2.  The team is looking forward to building on this strong performance against Lowell on 4/20 and Holland Christian on 4/23.  Go Eagles!

The Eagles put forward a strong effort yesterday to secure an 8-0 win against South Christian.  The temps had dropped and the wind was back but the team adapted to the elements and executed their game plan— staying consistent from the baseline and moving forward when they saw an offensive opportunity.  In the singles lineup Ryann Breslin won at 1st 6-0, 6-0, Ainsley Weeber won at 2nd 6-2, 6-3, Natalie Poortenga won at 3rd 6-0, 6-0, Calista Bremer won at 4th 6-1, 6-2.  For the doubles matches Grace Poortenga & Dafna Huele won 6-0, 6-1 at 1st, Liz Rupp & Lauren Peal won 6-4, 6-4 at 2nd, Alex Vermuelen & Chloe Westhouse won 6-2, 6-3 at 3rd, and Marissa Sullivan & Ashley Wolfe won 6-1, 6-2 at 4th.  The team is looking forward to competing in the East Kentwood Tennis Invitational this Saturday. Go Eagles!

The Eagles competed hard for an excellent 2-1 result in the West Ottowa Invitational yesterday.  The sun was shining, but players did battle with a strong wind coming from the SE which regularly gusted at 25 mph!  GRC won against Holland Christian 6-3, beat Holland 7-2, and fell against a tough West Ottowa team 0-9.  Highlights from the tournament include GRC's match against Holland Christian. The doubles lineup swept and three matches were decided by tiebreakers!  Lauren Peal & Elizabeth Rupp won at 1st doubles 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, Alex Vermulen & Chloe Westhouse won 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) at 2nd doubles, Ashley Wolfe & Marissa Sullivan won at 3rd doubles 6-3, 7-5, Olivia Tuit & Hannah Baker won at 4th doubles 7-5, 2-6,10-4 and Emerson Williams & Lydia Pink won at 5th doubles 6-4, 6-1.  The singles matches against Holland Christian were intensely contested,  Ryann Breslin won at 1st singles 6-4, 6-4. Ainsley Weeber, Natalie Poortenga, and Calista Bremmer at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th singles displayed great tenacity on the court, took numerous games off their opponents, and are looking forward to a rematch later on in the season.  The Invitational was a great opportunity for GRC to play high-quality opponents and collect match experience early-on in their season.  The Eagles are looking forward to squaring off against South Christian at Home after Spring Break on Thursday 4/15.

1st singles: Ryann Breslin W 6-1,6-1  2nd Singles: Ainsley Weiber W 6-0, 6-2 3rd Singles: Natalie Poortenga W 6-1, 6-1 4th Singles: Dafna Huele W 6-0, 6-0 1st Doubles: Lauren Peal & Grace Poortenga W 6-0, 6-1 2nd Doubles: Liz Rupp & Alex Vermuelan W 6-2, 6-2 3rd Doubles: Ashley Wolfe & Marissa Sullivan W 6-2, 6-0 4th Doubles: Chloe Westhouse & Calista Brewer W 6-2, 6-1