End of the line for pairs from WW South, Benet
Last week Wheaton Warrenville South doubles Andrea Kerwin and Melanie Milling squared off against Joyce Hanlon and Kelly Carney of Benet in the finals of Naperville North sectional.
On Friday both teams made it to the fourth round before facing elimination at the rain-soaked state tournament, which was forced indoors two days in a row.
With no backdraw all four seniors ended their illustrious high school varsity playing days.
Kerwin and Milling, the sectional champs two years in a row, lost to Taylor Hampshire and Emily Barrett of New Trier, 6-1, 6-2, while Carney and Hanlon dropped a two-set match 6-3, 6-3 to Marika Cusick and Kristy Hamilton of Hinsdale Central.
"We're happy with the way Andrea and Mel played," said Wheaton Warrenville South coach Patti Clousing. "When you can make it to the top 16 in state, you're in good company. They were solid in that fourth-round match, but New Trier wasn't making any errors."
After the match Clousing talked about how much she'll miss the leadership and stability Kerwin and Milling brought to the Tigers lineup.
"They're four-year varsity players and they've been the heart of our team at the top of the lineup the past two years," Clousing said. "You put them out there and expect them to win and they come through."
Benet coach Bob Comerford thought Carney and Hanlon, who finished the season with a 32-2 record, were great all weekend but that they had to be at the absolute top of their game to beat the Hinsdale Central duo.
"Every time they were out of position, Hinsdale made them pay," Comerford said. "Playing decent wasn't good enough."
Despite the rain and the car travel to indoor venues and the cancellation of the back draw, Hanlon saw the state tournament as a positive experience.
"We never made it that far in the tournament in any other season," Hanlon said. "We played some of our best tennis and we lost to great opponents in Cusick and Hamilton, who will go very far together. They got every ball back."
Jenny Hois of Downers Grove South lost in three sets in the round of 16, as did Hinsdale Central's doubles Anne Lombardi and Julia Quintero.
Neuqua Valley doubles Ali Peters and Aileen Hoffman and Glenbard West's Molly Hennessy and Samantha Reed both made it to the third round.
Singles Emma Li of Wheaton Warrenville South, Meredith Maltby of Glenbard West, Emily Meyers of Neuqua Valley and Claire McNulty of Downers Grove North lost in the third round.
Only Hinsdale Central singles Hanna Mar and Nida Hamilton and doubles Cusick and Kristy Hamilton among the DuPage County entrants, will be playing in Saturday's quarterfinals.
Defending champion Hinsdale Central again leads the team standings with 30 points, six ahead of second-place Deerfield.