Glenbard West tandem comes of age
A doubles team for the future turned up very much in the present for Glenbard West on Monday.
Sophomore Grace Norgaard and Maggie Hughes, who are waiting their turn to move to the top of the lineup on a veteran team, won their third doubles tennis match 6-0, 6-1 to help the Hilltoppers to a 4-3 win over host Wheaton Warrenville South.
“We know that our match matters,” said Norgaard. “It can make a huge difference because one point from a victory can turn the meet around.”
“Grace and Maggie handled it really well today,” said Glenbard West coach Jim Vallesky. “They got their serves in, their returns were strong and they did a great job coming to the net for the points.”
Norgaard and Hughes, who played a lot together in the off-season, hope to move to first doubles next year.
Monday’s meet was a classic example of how every point counts equally in high school tennis.
The Tigers (4-4) dominated the top of the lineup with decisive victories by Keisha Clousing and Emma Li at first and second singles and then Bridget Reid and Emmie Chan pulled a mild upset by topping Hilltopper state qualifiers Sam Reidy and Molly Hennessy 6-1, 6-4 at first doubles.
“We have good chemistry,” said Chan. “We were consistent and played well and smart. Bridget is a great doubles partner. She has an amazing serve.”
“We’re both singles players,” said Read. “I think our singles shots helped us today. We had to bring our A game to beat them and we brought it.”
But Aly Casolino of Glenbard West (12-4) won third singles, and the Hilltoppers also won at second, third and fourth doubles.
“Casolino has been a rock for us,” said Valleskey. “She’ll stay out there two or three hours, whatever it takes to win the match. And she stays focused the whole time.”
Glenbard West’s first-singles Meredith Maltby sat out the match with tendinitis and Valleskey reported that Hennessy and second-singles Ali Bush were playing through nagging injuries.
“We just have to get healthy and we’ll be alright,” said Valleskey.
Wheaton Warrenville South, which begins DuPage Valley Conference play today at home against West Aurora, was missing Lauren Costello, who’s usually slotted in at first dooubles.
Costello may be back today, but Tigers coach Patti Clousing has still not settled on her doubles lineup, though she has plenty of good options.
Chan and Read could stay together or one could team with Costello, who paired with Lindy Hart to finish third at the recent Champaign Centennial tournament.
Hart and her partner Hannah Foster, who were defeated Monday at second doubles by Glenbard West state qualifiers Hannah Foth and Maddie Morris, 6-2, 6-2, are also both in the mix for the top two doubles spots.
“We keep trying different combinations so we’re still working on our doubles lineup,” said Clousing. “Keisha and Emma, who challenge each other in practice every day, give us great power at singles. We think we can compete for the conference title.”