St. Charles East stays tough, edges Waubonsie
The theme of Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference girls tennis match between host Waubonsie Valley and St. Charles East was mental toughness.
Waubonsie Valley's Bryna Nasenbeny, a three-time state qualifier, won a three-set first-singles battle, overcoming cramping legs to score her first high school career victory over St. Charles East's Stefanie Youngberg.
But though Nasenbeny finished with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory, the Warriors (8-5-1, 5-1) lost the meet to the visiting Saints (6-3, 5-1) by a score of 4-3.
Youngberg, a junior, who has qualified for state twice, authored an amazing second-set comeback, battling through four match points, while playing through the pain of an entrapped nerve in her right arm.
"I never underestimate Stefanie," Nasenbeny said of her good friend. "Her comeback was awesome. After losing the opportunities at match point, I beat myself up a little bit. I had to figure out what I did wrong and correct it."
For Youngberg, whose doctors told her the injury to her right arm will be permanent, there was a moral victory in taking that second set.
"I just kept trying to get the ball in," Youngberg said. "I told myself, 'She's just as tired as you are,' and then when I won, I thought, 'Oh no, I have another one to go.' The pain in my arm depends on how hard I play, and that was hard. Bryna is phenomenal."
Waubonsie Valley coach Phil Galow thought the gutsy play of the first-singles players could serve as an example of mental toughness for his doubles teams, who dropped three of their four matches.
"Bryna is cramping up and playing hard," Galow said. "Stefanie has a bad arm and she never lets up. And these are girls who will get college scholarships for tennis, and they're out there fighting both physically and mentally. I want my other girls to see that and learn from their losses today."
St. Charles East coach Sena Drawer has been emphasizing mental toughness with her team, and she was impressed by the first-singles fight and by her second and third doubles, who registered dramatic victories in closely fought matches.
Anne Mason and Megan Joyce defeated Sue Lee and Emily Kreiner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles, while Alison Ledbetter and Cyrielle Gauthier topped Heather Gibbs and Leah Schild 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3) at third doubles.
"To win two tiebreakers like that is an amazing display of mental toughness," Drawer said. "That second-doubles team lost the first set, but they never gave up. I'm really proud of the girls."
Galow was especially pleased with the continued success of sophomore Kelsey Sappington at second singles.
Sappington defeated Khris Villarin 6-3, 6-1, to run her overall record to 13-3 and her UEC record to 6-0.
"Kelsey is a kid who gets it," Galow said. "She doesn't hit the hardest, but she places the ball well and she competes. And when you see the scorecard at the end, she wins. She's a winner."