Tennis: Eagan singles sweep clinches section championship

Wildcats will return to Class 3A state tournament

Eagan was untouchable in singles matches in the Class 3A, Section 3 girls tennis team final, and the Wildcats will return to the state tournament.

The final score of the Section 3 championship match was Eagan 4, East Ridge 3, but East Ridge’s chances of winning depended on sweeping the three doubles matches and stealing one of the singles matches.

That didn’t come close to happening. The Wildcats won all four singles matches, all in straight sets, and dropped just four games along the way. So they’re headed back to the state Class 3A team tournament starting Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the University of Minnesota Baseline Tennis Center. Eagan’s quarterfinal opponent is unknown; the brackets are expected to be released next week.

In 2025 the Wildcats reached the state team tournament and won the consolation trophy. They graduated No. 1 singles player Cassan Li (now playing for Washington University in St. Louis) but had several other members of that team returning in 2026.

Eagan coach Lisa Johnson said returning to state was the “one shared outcome” the 2026 squad wanted to achieve.

“While the returning varsity player brought valuable experience, the entire team embraced the challenge with energy, excitement and unwavering support for one another,” Johnson said. “They cheered each other on, brought their best selves to the court, and believed in what they could accomplish together.”

In the Oct. 9 Section 3 final at Baseline Tennis Center, Eagan’s Amelia Johnson (6-0, 6-0), Brynn Gleason (6-0, 6-1), Evelyn Wells (6-1, 6-0) and Maddie Kellis (6-0, 6-2) were winners at first through fourth singles. The three doubles matches all had closely contested first sets, with East Ridge winning all three and going on to take the matches in straight sets.

Katherine Poppinga and Lily O’Brien played first doubles for Eagan. Lauren Yan and Paige Poppinga were the second doubles team in the section final, and Marin King and Greta Beckwith played at No. 3.

Eagan, 21-5, has won its last nine matches. The Wildcats were 7-1 in the South Suburban Conference, losing only to conference champion Prior Lake. The Lakers lost to Minnetonka 4-3 in the Class 3A, Section 2 championship match Oct. 12, meaning Eagan will be the only SSC team to advance to state.

The Wildcats’ Section 3 semifinal match had the same score as the championship match, but there was more stress involved in their 4-3 semifinal victory over Eastview on Oct. 6. Six of the seven matches were decided in two sets, with each team winning three. The third doubles match remained on the court, with all four players realizing the outcome would decide which team advanced to the section final.

Eagan’s Beckwith and King outlasted Eastview’s Tulika Gurram and Neha Kishore 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.

Lisa Johnson said the coaches and players avoided mentioning to Beckwith and King what was at stake, but they figured it out anyway.

“Afterward, when we asked, they said they understood that their match would determine whether Eagan advanced in sections because they had to play a third full set,” the coach said. In matches where the team competition has already been decided, third sets in individual matches usually are scaled back to first-to-10-points tiebreakers.

“Our focus as coaches was to reinforce that they were playing well and encourage them to keep that confidence, determination and grit for the remainder of the match,” Lisa Johnson said.

Since the Wildcats don’t know yet who they will play in the Class 3A team tournament, their expectations have more to do with how they want to play at state. “Our team’s expectation is to compete at the highest level, try our absolute best, and leave everything on the court,” Lisa Johnson said. “Having experienced state last year, some players understand what it takes to compete at that level. Our goal is to appreciate and build on that experience, play aggressively to dictate points, commit to and trust our shots, and support one another every step of the way.”

Two Eagan players were scheduled to meet for the Class 3A, Section 3 singles. The match between ninth-grader Amelia Johnson and sophomore Brynn Gleason, the top two players in the Wildcats’ singles lineup, was to be Oct. 14 at Baseline Tennis Center.

Amelia Johnson, who reached the Class 3A singles quarterfinals in 2025, breezed through her first three matches, dropping just one game. Gleason also won her first three section matches in straight sets, including a 6-4, 6-3 victory over East Ridge’s Julia Simone in the semifinals. Simone will play Kaatje Degrote of Eastview in the third-place match.

The section champion will advance to the Class 3A singles tournament. So will the runner-up, unless she hasn’t played the third-place finisher earlier in the tournament. In that case, the loser of the championship match will play the third-place finisher for “true second” and a place in the state tournament.

Also happening Oct. 14 is the Class 3A doubles final between the Apple Valley team of Antonia Barthel and Sydney Mertens, and the Eastview team of Jaden Slominski and Molly Brown. Abby Davis and Ellery Wilbur of Eastview will play Saahithi Maddukuri and Abigail Jacobson of East Ridge for third place.

Rochester players have dominated the Class 3A, Section 1 individual tournament taking place at Lifetime Fitness Bloomington South. Three of the four players in the singles semifinals are from Rochester schools, including defending state Class 3A champion Aoife Loftus of Rochester Mayo. All four semifinal teams in the doubles tournament are from Rochester schools. Defending Class 3A team champion Rochester Mayo also won the Section 1 championship.

The remainder of the Section 1 individual tournament will be played Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Lifetime Fitness Bloomington South.

The Lakeville South teams of Isabella LaBeau and Malon VonRuden, and Olivia Zimmerman and Allie Smeltzer, reached the Section 1 quarterfinals. Ella Blommel of Lakeville North reached the quarterfinals in singles.

From the source Mike Shaughnessy can be reached at [email protected].