Saints squeak by N. Stars
Sometimes it's better not to know the significance of your match before you take the court.
Needing one more singles victory to secure the team triumph, St. Charles East junior Addy Stoll lost a 15-21 decision to St. Charles North's Kathryn Husar in the first game of their seventh singles match.
After a little soul searching, Stoll bounced back to win the second game, 21-16, then took the decisive third game by a 21-19 count -- and with it clinched the Saints' eventual 8-7 Upstate Eight Conference badminton victory over cross-town rival and host St. Charles North (0-2, 0-1) Tuesday afternoon.
"I didn't know it was No. 8," Stoll said of her team's eighth win. "I didn't know until after I came off the court. I'm glad that I knew afterward and not before because I would've blown it."
Stoll realized she wasn't at her best early in the match.
"I played so sloppy the first game," she said. "I just focused and didn't let my shots go into the net and out of bounds anymore. I knew I could beat her."
While the North Stars swept the first four singles matches behind Lindsay Madziarczyk, Julie Gawron, Kelsey True and Ashley Nelson, the Saints (2-2, 1-0) countered with victories of their own in the seventh through 10th singles positions.
In addition to Stoll's win, Jenny Lewellen outlasted Michelle Terwilleger (21-16, 22-24, 21-10) at eighth singles, Rachel Renn downed Juana Padilla (21-19, 21-16) at ninth singles, and AJ Soerens defeated Ashley Chinderle (21-5, 21-15) at 10th singles.
The Saints' Shivani Mahida and the North Stars' Valeri Cannon also were victorious at fifth and sixth singles, respectively.
"What these girls are learning to do this year that is making the biggest difference is that they don't give up on any shot," said Saints second-year coach Emily Potts. "They need to go for things until they run out of gas.
"That's made the biggest difference between last year and this year -- their willingness to go after it."
St. Charles East also benefited with doubles victories from Mahida/Stoll, Lewellen/Sarah Johnson and Annemarie Scotello/Soerens.
"Sure," said Potts when asked about the added significance of beating the North Stars. "And with us last year, we lost at home (to St. Charles North) and that's always a little heartbreaking.
"It feels good to win, but quite honestly, I'm glad it was close because it's going to keep these girls working toward the conference meet."
The North Stars' other wins came from their top two doubles teams -- Madziarczyk/Gawron and True/Nelson.
"Every one of our doubles teams is a new pairing so they're learning to play with each other," said St. Charles North coach Michael Smith. "It's just going to take some time.
"It would have been nice to win this one…but it's a starting point."