Girls tennis: Wins a cool treat to Glenbard West

When Glenbard West girls tennis coach Kevin Graham announced to his team Saturday that the Wheaton North Quadrangular had concluded, players, coaches and players' families decided to go out for ice cream.

And why not? Ice cream was most appropriate on a very hot day and it was a reward for the Hilltoppers playing some very good tennis.

Glenbard West won both of its matches and did not lose a game in a 6-0 Round 1 win over Neuqua Valley and 6-0 win over the hosts in Round 2. Round 3, which would have featured the Hilltoppers versus Benet, was canceled due to the heat. Players from both teams will probably go head-to-head at next Saturday's Rolling Meadows Invitational.

The competition featured No. 1 and No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles play at Wheaton North with No. 3 singles and No. 2 and No. 3 doubles at Northside Park.

"It was a great day. We faced some top players from the area and pull them (the matches) all out. I'm pleased with the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup," Graham said.

The Hilltoppers' No. 1 singles player, Sienna Lopez, won both her matches. With a cloudless sky and temperatures in the mid-90s, where you were on the court played a factor, according to Lopez.

"One side was sunny and the heat was right on your face. The other side there was some shade," she said. "I felt real good about how I played. That second match was tough."

Wheaton North's Madeline Fidel, a returning state qualifier, won three games in the second set as Lopez prevailed 6-0, 6-3.

Also earning a 2-0 morning was the Hilltoppers' Sophia Fausey at No. 2 singles. Endurance played a big factor Saturday.

"Moving around your opponent was good strategy today," she said.

Glenbard West had two doubles teams perfect on the day with Isabel Hermanson and Allie Maltby at No. 2 and Ellie Morrison and Emma Chiriya at No. 3.

Meanwhile, Benet beat Wheaton North 5-1 and tied Neuqua 3-3. Lauren Immink and Maddie Becker won both of their matches at No. 2 doubles.

"It was a tough day. We needed to progress and I think we took a big step today," said Redwings coach Michael Hand.

The last match on the Wheaton North courts was a marathon at No. 1 doubles as Benet's Kendall Schroeder and Daniella Nenadovich outlasted Neuqua's Hanna Beck and Hannah Neuman, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6.

"I'm from Florida. This is nothing," Nenadovich joked about the weather. "Today was not about skill. It was about how hard you would fight. If it had been cold, things would have been much different."

Schroeder said when it's that hot, it's not a time to get fancy.

"You play all points out," she said.