Sizzling Batavia dominates Geneva

To chop down the tree that is the Batavia girls' tennis team, you have to chip away at its formidable singles players.

Geneva found out Tuesday how difficult that can be in an Upstate Eight River division match on the Bulldogs' home courts.

Batavia rolled to a 6-1 victory, sweeping the singles matches and winning three of four doubles matches, on the way to improving its conference mark to 6-0.

"Our singles teams have been incredible this year," said Batavia coach Brad Nelson, after his singles players boosted their season mark to 55-4. "It makes it tough for the other teams when you are winning most of the singles matches."

Hannah Potter set the tone for Batavia by topping Geneva's Annie Tourte 6-3, 7-5 in a spirited No. 1 singles match that saw both players breaking service a number of times.

Potter's backhand passing shots and aggressive play at the net in the last three games of the second set finally proved to be the difference against Tourte, who was shifted to the No. 1 singles spot three weeks ago after Carly Ausman suffered an injury.

"My serves were inconsistent," Potter said. "When they were on, they were good, if they weren't then it was bad that whole game.

"We're doing absolutely unbelievable at singles this year, and it's just crazy, but I feel bad because our only four losses were all from me," Potter added.

For Tourte, it was a valiant effort to try to crack the steel wall that has become singles play in Batavia.

"I was focusing on hitting the ball to her backhand, and trying to get every ball back to make her frustrated," Tourte said. "Playing No. 1 singles is different and the players are faster and better, but it is a good experience."

Miranda Grizaffi kept things going in Batavia's direction at No. 2 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Stephanie Sharpe, while Liza Fruendt outlasted Sarah Kappele of Geneva 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted an hour longer than the others. Neither Grizaffi nor Fruendt has lost a match this season.

"Liza is a basketball player and that stamina helps her out in these long matches at third singles," Nelson said.

Doubles play was just as solid for Batavia, with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in No. 1 doubles for Kaitlin Mills and Jenny Mizikar over Claire Chasta and Carly Ausman of Geneva. Tamar Norville and Margerite Mallory claimed a 6-0, 6-4 win over Stephanie Michaels and Abbey Baumer of Geneva at No. 2 doubles.

In the No. 3 doubles match, Hannah Maddox and Karissa Schroeder of Batavia recorded a 6-1, 6-1 win over Kirby Arloff and Emily Malocha.

Geneva's lone victory came at No. 4 doubles as Allison Donahue and Nora Burkhardt tallied a 6-3, 6-2 win over Alyssa Pizzoferrato and Sam Potocek of Batavia.

Even though his team improved to 17-1 overall with the victory, Nelson was taking nothing for granted when facing Geneva (11-8, 3-2).

"Geneva has been a thorn in our side for a long time," Nelson said. "Since 2005, in conference play going back to the Suburban Prairie and Western Sun, we've been 37-3, but all three of those losses have come against Geneva.

"It's like any other rivalry, you throw the records out and add a little extra drama," Nelson said. "Geneva has had a great program and you don't take anything for granted, but things have been going very well for us this year and we feel like we can compete with anybody."

Geneva coach Maureen Weiler felt her team just ran into a tough opponent.

"That's a good team over there, and they deserved the win," Weiler said.