Girls tennis: Simbulan-Foster, Glenbard South dominate Upstate Eight tournament
Lorenza Simbulan-Foster has certainly climbed the ladder of success in the Upstate Eight Conference in four years.
The Glenbard South senior was fourth as a freshman and second as a sophomore and junior.
The No. 1 seeded Simbulan-Foster climbed the ultimate mountain Saturday by claiming the UEC first singles title with a 6-0, 6-0 win over East Aurora's Melanie Galindo.
"It feels awesome," said Simbulan-Foster. "I feel I am more consistent and better in the mental part of the game."
Simbulan-Foster will attempt to make a fourth straight trip to the 1A state tournament next Saturday at the Timothy Christian sectional in Elmhurst.
The Raiders senior is hoping to improve on last season's 9-12 finish at the state meet.
"Lorenza is a very talented player," said first-year coach Kevin Schillerstrom. "She has a very strong baseline game."
Simbulan-Foster's effort helped propel the Raiders to the UEC team title with 78.5 points. West Chicago was second with 57.5 points and Glenbard East third with 53.5 points.
Augusta Leimonas took top honors at No. 3 singles defeating Suhani Patel of Bartlett 6-2, 6-1.
Top-seeded seniors Allie Mizwicki and Emily Puchalski defeated No. 2 Ashwita Sankar and Sheereena Patel of Bartlett in the title match 6-2, 6-2.
The Glenbard South duo was third in the conference a year ago.
"We work well together," Mizwicki said. "We have gotten better as the season has gone on."
"We hope to get to the second day of the sectionals," Puchalski said. "We improved from last season."
The Raiders swept the four doubles titles with Emily Zeikus-Bekah Brzenski (2), Erika Hartman-Joy Shim (3) and Skylar Fischer-Lexia Hagedorn (4).
"It is a feather in their cap to win the conference," said Schillerstrom. "It has been a transition year. It is three coaches in four years for the seniors. The season starts at Timothy Christian next week."
Second-place West Chicago was led by No. 2 singles Julia Koput and No. 2 doubles Judith Benitez and Ayellan Vellikans, No. 3 doubles Derilyn Espinal-Zitary Garcia Medina and No. 4 doubles Ariley Jacobo-Brianna Guerreo who were second.
Elina Velasco was third at No. 1 singles and Addison Jeffrey and Mairy Jury were fourth at No. 1 doubles.
Glenbard East was paced by Claire Flanagan, the No. 2 seed, who upset top-seeded Koput in the title match, 6-4, 6-1.
Ella Book-Kaitlin Murphy were third at No. 1 doubles and Helen Jones was fourth at No. 1 singles. In doubles, No. 2 Alyssa Borbath-Leila Nehra and Lindsey Elias-Milana Szcybura were all fourth.
Bartlett was fourth with 44.5 points.
Sankar and Patel were runner-up at No. 1 doubles.
Rohini Silwa and Aanya Navarsiwala were third at second doubles and Sabikah Musabji-Dya Chelada were third at No. 4 doubles. Ithea Mistry-Angela Darma were fourth at third doubles.
Fenton, fifth with 33 points, was led by Victoria Sosha who was fourth at No. 3 singles.