ESCANABA — The Escanaba Eskymos were put to the test here Monday in a 6-2 girls’ tennis loss to the Negaunee Miners.

“One of the best teams in the U.P. was in town today,” Esky coach Chris Ogren said. “Negaunee is always tough and this year’s team is no different. This was a great test for us going into the (Great Northern) conference tournament on Thursday.”

Esky’s Aubrey Elliott and Brooklyn Hackelman outlasted Nicole Kerkela and Clare O’Donnell 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in No. 1 doubles and Hailee Cloutier and Claire Jacobsen earned a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Rebecca Lammi and Tori Poutanen at No. 3.

“Hailee and Claire played some of their best tennis of the year,” Ogren said. “They won the first 6-4 before getting to another close set in the second set and got the lead at 5-4 with Claire up to serve. Claire was able to get an ace on her first serve of the game and followed it up with a couple other big serves to take the match.”

In the third set in No. 3 doubles, Elliott and Hackleman fell behind 2-0 and 4-2 before winning the final four games to secure the decision.

“Aubrey and Brooklyn found themselves in a real see-saw match,” Ogren said. “They looked like the better team early, then Negaunee started playing better in the second and took that set. In the third set Aubrey and Brooklyn fell behind 2-0, then 30-love in the third game. Brooklyn then hit some nice serves and Aubrey played the net perfectly to bring the score to 2-1.

“After tying things up at 2-2, Negaunee took two games in a row. This is when Aubrey and Brooklyn really started placing the ball well and rattled off the final four games to win the third set.

“This is the top tier team No. 1 doubles team from Negaunee, so I was incredibly proud to see how well Aubrey and Brooklyn handled some setbacks today.”

Other Esky players battled valiantly in losses, according to Ogren.

“We also had some great performances in losses today,” he said. “Liz Vogel played her best tennis of the year despite a loss (6-1, 6-1 to Rheanna Nelson). Varrah Veeser lost her first set 6-0, but improved immensely in the second set and kept it very close before losing 6-4 (to Stella Lenten).

“Likewise at No. 4 doubles. Carly Gorenchan and Katie Kievit dropped the first set 6-2, but were much closer in a good second set which they ended up losing 6-4 (to Paige O’Donnell-Maia Brunette) and Anna Martin played one of her best sets of the year, in her first today (in a 6-4, 6-1 loss). She also played well in the second set, but Lili Suanders from Negaunee was just a little too good today.”

The Eskymos travel to Negaunee for Thursday’s GNC meet which starts at 10 a.m.

Singles

No. 1 — Saunders, N, def. Martin, 6-4, 6-1; No. 2 — Nelson, N, def. Vogel, 6-1, 6-1; No. 3 — Lenten, N, def. Veeser, 6-0, 6-4; No. 4 — Chapman, N, def. Landwehr, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles

No. 1 — Elliott-Hackleman, E, def. Kerkela-C. O’Donnell, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; No. 2 — Richards-Rogers, N, def. Hill-Noblet, 6-2, 6-0; No. 3 — Cloutier-Jacobsen, E, def. Lammi-Poutanen, 6-4, 6-4; No. 4 — P. O’Donnell-Brunette, N, def. Gorenchan-K