Elgin Academy sweeps Larkin quad
Elgin Academy went through a transition entering the girls tennis season.
After graduating his No. 1 singles and doubles players, Hilltoppers’ coach Greg Repede looked to several younger players to step up.
Everything came together Saturday as Elgin Academy (14 team points) swept Larkin (9), Elgin (7) and Streamwood (0) to take first place at Larkin’s quad.
“Today was the best we’ve played all season,” Repede said. “For a lot of the girls this is the best they’ve played all season. It kind of all came together.”
Hilltoppers’ sophomore Jordan Yavari swept the competition at No. 1 singles. After beating Streamwood’s Sam Lee 6-3, 6-2 and Larkin’s Meryl Hensanna 6-0, 6-3, Yavari found herself down in both sets against Elgin’s Alina Patthana.
Both times, Yavari was able to bounce backm taking the final match of the day 6-3, 6-2 to finish Saturday undefeated.
“I had played the girls from Elgin and Streamwood before, so I knew what to expect from them,” Yavari said. “We played really well today.”
Patthana wanted to make sure to get ahead on Yavari early, and was hoping she could push that into sustaining momentum. But as things started to stray from the game plan, the frustration mounted.
“The frustration definitely got to me,” Patthana said. “That was causing me to mess up. This was a much better match then when I played her the first time.”
Patthana’s match against Yavari came after a difficult 2-set loss to Hensanna (7-6, 6-0). Meeting for the first time this season, Hensanna took a game-1 tiebreaker 7-4 to take the first set and then won the second 6-0.
“I was expecting to go for first, but you can’t be down about second place,” Hensanna said. “My power serves were going pretty well. I was getting to the ball.”
Elgin Academy freshman Kayla Schwan finished first at No. 2 singles for the Hilltoppers. Schwan defeated Larkin’s Stephanie Shee (6-2, 6-2), Streamwood’s Destiny Chester (6-0, 6-0) and Elgin’s Maria Morales-Nelson (6-2, 6-2).
The Hilltoppers’ No. 1 doubles duo of senior Laura Ficker and junior Jordan Kaufman had an impressive showing, getting progressively better as the day went on.
After opening with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Larkin’s Shelby Matison and Natalie Judkins, the duo went on to sweep the Sabres 6-0, 6-1 and Elgin’s Erika Peters and Boryana Borisone 6-2, 6-4.
The No. 3 Elgin Academy doubles team, sophomores Molly Willman and Makena Burickman, also won all three of their matches.
“Molly and Makena played so much better (Saturday) then they did a year ago,” Repede said. “Everyone is better.”