Carmel's Minor takes third

Carmel's Jasmine Minor entered this season with the goal of winning the state tournament.

She came up just short.

Minor lost to eventual champion and top seed Elizabeth Epstein of F.W. Parker 6-3, 6-4 in Saturday's semifinals at Prospect High School.

"It was really, really hard taking that loss to Elizabeth," Minor said. "I definitely wanted it, worked for it. I wanted to be in the finals and win this whole thing."

The weather was very windy on Saturday, something Minor said does not go well with her game. Minor admitted to having trouble with the wind early in her match with Epstein, and it showed as Epstein took a 5-0 first-set lead.

"She (Epstein) came out there hitting the lines perfectly," Minor said. "I did everything I could to come back. From there she had too much. It wasn't my best day, but that's just part of this world. You've got to deal with it."

Minor was able to shake off the loss and to beat Barrington's Kristy Dodge 6-4, 6-2 in the third place match. Minor said she told herself to "get over it," referring to the loss to Epstein, before the match with Dodge.

"You really have to toughen up," Minor said. "You've got to suck it up. The losses only make you stronger."

Carmel coach Nancy Fehn said Minor's attitude was a big factor in the third-place match.

"She came onto the court with a really, really positive attitude," Fehn said. "I think that has a lot to do with how you physically play. She was ready to go out and do the job."

Minor said she felt she did a great job at the beginning of points with her serve and return against Dodge.

"I really came out there focused," Minor said of the match with Dodge. "The crowd was getting loud and everything and I did a good job of keeping my concentration. From there I think I was able to do all the right things."

Minor, a sophomore, said earlier this season that she was only going to play high school level tennis this year. Last year she played at the national level and she planned to return to that when this season was complete.

Saturday she allowed a slightly greater possibility that she would play high school tennis again, although it still seems as though she will return to the national level.

When asked on Saturday if it was still her plan to return to the national level next year, Minor replied with the following words.

"Yeah, I think it is. So far. It really depends on how I do at my national level."

Epstein beat Hinsdale Central's Nida Hamilton 6-4, 6-4 in the championship match. It was Epstein's second straight singles title. Deerfield's Misia Krasowski and Julia Fellerhoff beat Lake Forest's Kathleen Saltarelli and Nicole Lipp for the doubles title.

Hinsdale Central won the team title, for the third consecutive year, with 43 points. Deerfield was second with 33 points and Lake Forest third with 29.