GN frosh, Carmel net applause

When a team or individual qualifies for the state tournament at Grayslake North, it does not go unnoticed.

Much to her surprise Wednesday, Grayslake North freshman Kelly Poggensee-Wei along with her tennis teammates were led around school by a drum line as students and teachers opened the classroom doors to clap.

"It's like a mini-parade," girls tennis coach Jill Tomasello said.

Given the way Poggensee-Wei, a 17-32 seed, performed Thursday in the opening rounds of the IHSA state tennis tournament, she should get used to the pageantry.

In her first appearance on high school tennis' biggest stage, Poggensee-Wei won her opening two matches before losing to Fremd senior Jenna Langhorst, a 9-16 seed.

Langhorst, an Iowa State recruit, won 6-3, 7-5 and came away impressed with the freshman.

"She hit the ball (hard) and had a good strategy," Langhorst said. "She'll go far in the back draw and make a big impact next year."

Carmel certainly made a big impact Thursday. Sophomore Jasmine Minor, a 9-16 seed, went a perfect 3-0 as did the doubles team of Lauren Aguilar and Michelle Kunkler.

Poggensee-Wei raised her level of play considerably against Langhorst in the second set.

"I moved my feet and was able to attack," she said.

Added Tomasello: "She really cut down on her mistakes and used her patience to her advantage."

Poggensee-Wei dropped a total of four games in her opening two victories.

"I was able to move them around," she said.

Minor, who battled foot and leg pain in the sectional tournament, was in fine form in all three of her matches. She won her third match 6-4, 6-2 over Urbana's Katarina Marjanovic.

"She has a huge serve and, with the wind, returning was extremely difficult, especially in the first set," Minor said.

The second set was a different story.

"It wasn't about power or aces or winners," Minor said. "It was about who could play the wind better and I was able to cut down on errors."

The senior duo of Aguilar and Kunkler played like veterans in their first state tournament appearance. Aguilar and Kunkler, a 9-16 seed, won their first two matches in straight sets.

"After we won that first match we felt really relieved," Kunkler said. "We (proved) that we belonged out there."

The third match, a 6-4, 6-4 victory over St. Charles East's Stefanie Youngberg and Erin Bowman, was the most challenging. The Corsairs trailed 4-1 in the first set before winning five consecutive games.

"When we won the first (one) we weren't as tense and the shots came naturally," Kunkler said. "We started putting away our volleys."

Unfortunately, Mundelein was not at full strength. Junior Hanne MacDonald had an appendectomy earlier in the week and defaulted.

Freshman Ali MacDonald made her big sister proud when she won a first-round consolation match. She finished the tournament 1-2.

"It would have been more fun with my sister," Ali MacDonald said. "I was out there fighting for me and her."

After going 0-2 at last year's state tournament, Mundelein senior Karlie Alms and sophomore Paige Parola had a day to remember. The Mustangs opened up with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3 victory against Lincoln-Way East's Allison Fish and Lauren Casey.

"Most of our points in the third set were winners up at the net," Parola said.

Following a second-round loss, the duo rebounded by defeating York's Torrie Graham and Ellen Stein 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Their tournament came to an end with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Hinsdale South's Michelle Itkonen and Michelle Bolos.

"They were a very strong team and we played our best match of the year," Parola said. "We came up to the net every single point."