Following a fifth consecutive tennis team section title, the Staples Motley Cards sent six players into contention for individual state honors on Oct. 19 and 20 at St. John's University.

Three of those players are go- ing to the state meet as individudals after play Tuesday in the finals.

Coach Kevin Coughlin said half the team qualified for state action next week. Abby Edin rolled through the singles field from the one seed position, taking the title on Tuesday morning with a 6-4, 6-1 win over a Long Prairie-Grey Eagle girl.

Meanwhile doubles players Skye Coughlin and Emma Koskiniemi are going to make their third trip to state tennis, this year as the second place team from this section. After three wins, they lost in the finals in three sets.

There also were Cardinal casulties along the way. Singles player Andrea Koskiniemi had to battle from the sixth seed and ran into Kimmy Mrozek, a talented south paw from Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, who after downing Andrea

in two tight sets, moved on

to the finals to face Edin. "Andrea played with good

poise and made good decisions on shot selection, but in the end was outplayed by a more determined opponent."

Net action Cardinal Abby Edin defeated Kimmy Mrozek 6-4, 6-1 to win the singles title in Section 6A play. (Photo by Don Sanda) A super display of athleticism by Ashley Lisson and Caitlin Robinson put the duo in position to advance in the doubles portion of section play, but executing consistently brought the two seniors to a halt in their goal of reaching state.

"I feel especially bad for these two seniors who have worked so hard over the years and came so close. They are definitely capable at this level, but the nature of this sport doesn't always pan out according to dreams."

The one seeded duo and two time state qualifiers Skye Coughlin and Emma Koskiniemi put on a clinic in great Cardinal fashion only giving up one game going into the finals. "They have been playing together for so long that the X-factor of the chemistry to go with their skill makes them very solid."

On Tuesday morning, Coughlin and Koskiniemi dropped a hard fought finals match 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 to Laura Paulsen and Sarah Faehnrich from Minnewaska Area school.

Girl's tennis wins Section 6A championship The Staples Motley girl's tennis team won the Section 6A title Oct. 13 at Sartell. The top seeded Cardinals defeated the number two ranked Sauk Centre Mainstreeters 6-1. The Cardinals advance to the state tournament Oct. 27 in Minneapolis for their fifth straight state tournament. Front row, left to right: Annie Gillespie, Ashley Lisson, Caitlin Robinson, Skye Coughlin, Savanna Hill, Kelly Hagenson, Abby Edin. Back row: Coach Kevin Coughlin, Mikayla Wing, Anne Kautto, Emma Koskiniemi, Hallie Olsen, Maggie O Keefe, Andrea Koskiniemi, Don Sanda, team photographer. At the same time, fourtime state place winner Abby Edin downed Kimmy Mrozek from Long Prairie- GE in two sets, 6-4, 6-1.

Coughlin, whose team is rated third in state, will watch his girls go against Rochester Lourdes in the first round of team play next Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m. at the state meet. It will be the fifth consecutive

state appearance. How

strong is this year's team? "It's always hard to say,"

Coughlin said, "but we have seven seniors, so that gives us some solid, mature players on this year's team." Tennis Results

Monday first rounds

Singles:

Andrea Koskiniemi def. Tonya Hetland - Osakis 6-0, 6-1; lost to Kimmy Mrozek - LPGE 4-6, 4-6

Abby Edin (state qualifier - 4th time); def. Jakki Sjobeck -

Parkers Prarie 6-0, 6-0; def. Sarah Wagner - West Central 6-0, 6-0; def. Brianne Giesler - Osakis 6-0, 6-0; def. Kimmy Mrozek - LPGE, 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles

Ashley Lisson/Caitlin Robinson def. Rynae Nelson/Eden Faust, LPGE 6-1, 6-4; lost to Chelsea Donnay/Leah Amundson 6-4, 1-6, 0-6

Skye Coughlin/Emma Koskiniemi (state qualifiers - 3rd time); def. Pamela Sax/Renae Mullins, Morris 6-0, 6-0; def. Tabitha Sanderson/Laura Delehanty, Morris 6-0, 6,0; def. Kelsey Warren/Kayla Sjobeck, Parkers Prarie 6-0, 6-1; lost to Laura Paulsen/Sarah Faehnrich/Minnewaska, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4.