Grand Forks-Perham junior tennis player Josie Beachy capped off a thrilling 2015 tennis season with a third place finish in the Section 8A Singles and Doubles Tournament in Grand Forks on Oct. 13 and 14.
“It was a good run for Josie and we knew it was a run that she had in her,” Perham Head Coach Jameson Miller said. “She’s had a solid season at No. 1 singles and has a lot of results against good competition. This week, every opponent that she played was a solid player.”
Beachy was one of six members competing in the tournament for the Yellowjackets. Beachy and Julia Pearson competed in the singles portion of the event, while the doubles teams of Madison Olson/Aubrey Hill and Danielle Graham/Savanna Olson competed in the doubles portion.
“I was proud of how everyone played in an event with such tough competition,” Miller said. “I thought Madison and Aubrey really set the tone for our team in the event by beating the No. 1 doubles team from New York Mills out of the gate. Pearson and our No. 1 double team of Danielle and Savanna followed by playing really well against tough competition. That’s what was great about this event, every match was difficult.”
Madison Olson and Aubrey Hill kicked off the play-in round of the tournament with a straight set victory over Mallory Weber and Kiera Radniecki of New York Mills. Olson and Hill rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
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However, they were eliminated by East Grand Forks’ Emma Dietrich and Jenna Dietrich in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
Parkers Prairie’s Kathryn Berquist and Camryn Arceneau upended the Perham duo of Savanna Olson and Danielle Graham in the first round. Berquist and Arceneau defeated Olson and Graham, 6-3, 6-1.
Julia Pearson’s upset bid of Roseau’s Jodi Ostroski fell just short in the first round. Pearson was seeded 14th and played Ostroski to the wire, dropping the match in two close sets.
Pearson was defeated in the first set, 6-3, before dropping the second set in a tiebreaker to Ostroski. Ostroski outlasted Pearson, 7-6 (4), in the second set, earning the straight set win.
Beachy entered the tournament as the fifth seed and had to stave off elimination in the first round as well.
Beachy was facing elimination early in the tournament against Crookston’s Alyssa Fee. Fee opened first round play with a first set victory over Beachy, 7-5.
Beachy rebounded, winning a hard-fought second set, 6-4, over Fee. Beachy closed out the match with a 6-2 win over Fee, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Miller said Beachy made several key adjustments throughout the tournament that helped her advance.
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“I thought Josie did a really great job of staying patient, yet being aggressive at the appropriate moments,” Miller said. “Each opponent she played had a different style, so she did a great job of being able to use different shots to help take away some of their strengths.”
Beachy cruised in her quarterfinal victory. The fifth-seeded junior earned a straight set over fourth-seeded Natalie Kinkel of Park Rapids. Beachy defeated Kinkel, 6-3, 6-2.
Beachy’s first defeat came in the Section 8A semifinals against the eventual Section 8A Champion, Julia Smith, of Park Rapids.
Smith defeated Beachy in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
One of Beachy’s strengths is her power and aggressive play on the baseline. However, it was her patience that helped her make the deep run in the tournament.
“I like her hitting aggressive shots, but I know she’s also comfortable in playing long points,” Miller said. “The first set against Ostroski took 90 minutes due to both players playing great defense. I know she’ll continue to work hard on her game.”
Beachy rebounded in the third place game, which was a grind against Roseau’s Jodi Ostroski. Beachy won the first set, 7-5, before closing out Ostroski in the second set, 6-4.
Beachy’s bid for a state tournament berth was stopped short by East Grand Forks’ Chessa Jones in a true second place game. Jones defeated Beachy, 6-1, 6-3, earning second place and a trip to the Class A state tournament.
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Smith defeated Jones in the championship match in three sets, which set up the true second place contest. Smith won the match over Jones, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.
Doubles Results
Play-In
Madison Olson/Aubrey Hill, PER, def. Mallory Weber/Kiera Radniecki, NYM, 6-0, 6-1.
First Round
Emma Dietrich/Jenna Dietrich, EGF, def. Madison Olson/Aubrey Hill, PER, 6-1, 6-1.
Kathyrn Berquist/Camryn Arceneau, PP, def. Danielle Graham/Savanna Olson, 6-3, 6-1.
Singles
First Round
Jodi Ostroski, ROS, def. Julia Pearson, PER, 6-3, 7-6(4).
Josie Beachy, PER, def. Aylssa Fee, CRK, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Quarterfinals
Josie Beachy, PER, def. Natalie Kinkel, PR, 6-3, 6-2.
Semifinals
Julia Smith, PR, def. Josie Beachy, PER, 6-2, 6-1.
Third Place
Josie Beachy, PER, def. Jodi Ostroski, ROS, 7-5, 6-4.
True Second
Chessa Jones, EGF, def. Josie Beachy, PER, 6-1, 6-3.
