Girls tennis: Nenadovich, Benet off to good start at state tourney
It was a long day Thursday for Benet's Daniella Nenadovich. It was also a very productive day.
It started with a nearly two-hour delay to dry the rain-soaked tennis courts at Palatine High School for Day 1 of the girls state tournament. It ended with Nenadovich winning her third match of the day, one of the last still playing at Palatine, one of several Northwest suburban sites for the state tournament.
"I felt pretty good actually," Nenadovich said. "It was really cold, so I was nervous about being really tight, but I warmed up. I thought I played pretty well."
Nenadovich lost just nine games over her three matches, giving the credit to her serve.
"My serve isn't usually this good, so I'm pleasantly surprised, but I'm not complaining," she said.
The 5-8 seed will begin Friday in the quarterfinals against Chicago University High's Emma Baker, the No. 2 seed.
It was also a good day for Nenadovich's Benet teammates. The Redwings ended the day in a first-place tie in Class 1A's team standings with 19 points, even with University High.
The Redwings doubles team of Kendall Schrader and Kaitlyn Lee, seeded second, also went 3-0 Thursday and will meet a team from Ottawa, a 5-8 seed.
All quarterfinal matches will be played at Buffalo Grove.
Timothy Christian junior Cassandra Lee, a 9-16 seed, looked strong through her first two matches before falling in the third round to Effingham St. Anthony 5-8 seed Emilee Mossman 6-1, 6-3. It was a contrast in styles, the aggressive, powerful Lee vs. Mossman, a very patient player who seemingly gets to everything and keeps it in play.
"I tried to be different, tried to drop-shot more, just everything," said Lee, playing singles at state for the first time after placing third in doubles each of the last two seasons with Abygale Ahn. "I tried everything. I played her before, so I kinda knew what I had coming. And I did better this time, but it still wasn't enough."
Three DuPage County singles players advanced to the Class 2A quarterfinals. Neuqua Valley's Hannah Neuman, a 5-8 seed, beat Gianna Nikoleit of York 6-0, 6-1 and will start Friday against Lake Forest's Kiley Rabjohns, the top seed.
Naperville Central 3-4 seed Jacquelyne Qi sailed through her three Thursday matches and will open Friday against Hinsdale Central's Nicole Hu, a 5-8 seed.
The Glenbard West doubles team of Sienna and Shanelle Lopez, the No. 1 seed, advanced to play a team from Stevenson in the quarterfinals. Two other doubles pairs from the West Suburban Conference Silver Division are in the Class 2A doubles quarterfinals, both from Hinsdale Central: No. 2 seed Zoe Limparis and Katie Dollens, plus 3-4 seed Sarah Badawi and Caroline Kotarski.
Hinsdale Central finished the day tied second in the Class 2A standings with New Trier at 18 points, 6 behind leader Lake Forest. Glenbard West was fifth with 10 points, and Naperville Central was in a three-way tie for sixth place with 9 points.