T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown senior Jorja Janssen hits an overhead volley at the net during an early meet at home this season. Janssen went 2-0 on Tuesday night with a singles win at No. 3 and a doubles win with teammate Lilyia Christen at No. 2, but the Bobcats fell 6-5 to Des Moines Lincoln.

DES MOINES — No further explanation is required. Every point counts, as the Marshalltown girls’ tennis team can truly attest.

The Bobcats fell by the slimmest of margins on Tuesday night, losing 6-5 to Des Moines Lincoln in an Iowa Alliance Conference dual that required 10 tiebreaks before it would be settled.

Lincoln (3-4) took six of the 10 tiebreaks, going 4-for-6 in third-set super-tiebreakers in a match that very nearly belonged to the Bobcats.

“One of the closest matches I’ve ever been a part of,” said MHS head coach James Christensen.

Marshalltown (7-7, 4-4) was on the verge of victory during the No. 2 doubles match as Jorja Janssen and Lilyia Christen led their Lincoln counterparts Amelia Shaw and Margaret Theis 9-8 in the third-set super-tiebreak. The Railsplitters won the next three games, however, to turn the tables on MHS, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, (11-9).

Janssen and Christen both went to third-set super-tiebreaks in singles play, too.

“Jorja and Lilyia had the longest night, each going to super-tiebreakers in singles and then literally finishing in the dark in a super-tiebreaker,” Christensen said. “They had a match-clinching point at 9-8 but couldn’t quite finish.”

Janssen accounted for one of Marshalltown’s two three-set triumphs, beating Claire Coffey 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, (10-8) at No. 3 singles. Grace Diggins and Taylor Bear tallied the other at No. 5 doubles, scoring a 4-6, 6-3, (10-8) comeback victory.

No. 1 singles player Kate Sandvick dominated Shaw, 6-0, 6-0, and then teamed with Ellie Downs for a 6-1, 6-4 win over Tabitha Daggett and Coffey at No. 1 doubles, 6-1, 6-4.

Kaelyn Coleman and Hanna Osgood improved to 7-3 as a tandem this season with their 6-3, 6-0 win over Kameryn Hoffman and Kylie Sobieszkoda at No. 3 doubles.

“Kate was nails again today and singles and paired well with Ellie,” said Christensen. “Kaelyn and Hanna were spectacular today in doubles, followed by Grace and Taylor with an epic comeback at No. 4 doubles.”

The Bobcats’ No. 5 doubles team of Ellison Wittkop and Trista Bratland nearly came through with the decisive win, battling back to force a third set in a 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), (10-3) loss to Greta Dietrich and Charlotte Van Wyk.

“Our No. 5 doubles continues to be warriors,” Christensen said. “They’ve dropped a few close tiebreakers but are on the verge of breaking out.

“Lincoln played very conservative tennis, really made our girls earn every point.”

Marshalltown has one regular-season meet left to apply its new lesson, visiting Waverly-Shell Rock on Thursday at 4 p.m. The postseason begins next week for the inaugural year of fall girls tennis in Iowa.

Des Moines Lincoln 6, Marshalltown 5

SINGLES

Kate Sandvick (MHS) def. Amelia Shaw, 6-0, 6-0

Tabitha Daggett (DML) def. Ellie Downs, 6-0, 6-2

Jorja Janssen (MHS) def. Claire Coffey, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, (10-8)

Margaret Theis (DML) def. Lilyia Christen, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, (10-5)

Loran Miller (DML) def. Kaelyn Coleman, 6-4, 6-2

Kameryn Hoffman (DML) def. Grace Diggins, 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, (11-9)

DOUBLES

Sandvick and Downs (MHS) def. Daggett and Coffey, 6-1, 6-4

Shaw and Theis (DML) def. Janssen and Christen, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, (11-9)

Coleman and Hanna Osgood (MHS) def. Hoffman and Kylie Sobieszkoda, 6-3, 6-0

Diggins and Taylor Bear (MHS) def. Wah Htoo and Mercedes Ceballos, 4-6, 6-3, (10-8)

Greta Dietrich and Charlotte Van Wyk (DML) def. Ellison Wittkop and Trista Bratland, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), (10-3)