Clean sweep for St. Charles North

While the singles and doubles championship and third-place matches have yet to be completed, the state qualifiers have been determined from Saturday's St. Charles East girls tennis sectional.

St. Charles North emerged as the big winner, qualifying two singles players and both of its doubles teams for Thursday's state tournament. Unofficially, the North Stars also wrapped up their third consecutive sectional team title.

"I was more concerned with the girls qualifying for state for their sake," said North Stars coach Eve Tubman. "If we win sectional, it's gravy as far as I'm concerned. It was a really good day for them.

"I'm really excited for my two doubles teams. These girls have played together the last four years."

Seniors Jenna Bell and Alecia Natale rolled to the doubles finals with three straight-set victories, while Carly Dutkiewicz and Lauren Drawbridge earned a state berth with their 6-2, 6-1 quarterfinal triumph over Geneva's Jamie Potts and Alexa Rogers.

In singles play, the North Stars' Liselot Koenen rallied from a 5-4 second-set semifinal deficit to knock off Sycamore's Veronica Behrens, 6-2, 7-5, while freshman teammate Brittany Plaszewski extended her winning streak to 30 before falling to Geneva senior Kayla Fujimoto 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) in the semis.

"The first set wasn't as good as I wanted it to be but I thought I really came back in the second set and played well," said Plaszewski.

"I thought she got her confidence up," said Tubman. "She doesn't get that many opportunities to play someone with Kayla's caliber. It shows her what she needs to do."

Fujimoto, who will face Koenen for the singles championship Monday, clinched her fourth straight state appearance with a 6-0, 6-0 quarterfinal win over Bartlett's Jen Parato before handing Plaszewski her first defeat.

"I kind of tightened up a little and got a little tentative but I played through it," said the Indiana University-bound Fujimoto, who could relate to Plaszewski's first sectional experience.

"I remember my freshman year - it was kind of nerve-racking but exciting."

The Vikings will also send their doubles tandem of Claire Chlasta and Annie Tourte to state, thanks to a hard-fought, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 quarterfinal victory over Wheaton Academy's Kendra Kosirog and Eva Sedjo.

Chlasta and Tourte will face the North Stars' Drawbridge and Dutkiewicz for third place after dropping a straight-set semifinal decision to Bell and Natale.

Meanwhile, St. Charles East coach Sena Drawer will watch one of her players/teams at state for the 24th consecutive season after Erin Bowman and Lexi Baltes recorded three straight-set doubles wins, including a 6-3, 6-0 semifinal decision over Drawbridge and Dutkiewicz.

Bowman, a junior, will be making her third straight state doubles appearance, with Baltes being her third different playing partner.

"You have to really applaud her for her ability to adjust to the different personalities," said Drawer. "What's interesting about this year is that the other two girls (Amanda Gomez in 2007; top-16 finish with Stefanie Youngberg in 2008) were older than her so Erin kind of took a second seat to that.

"Now she's a more experienced player - though not older - so she has become the leader. And Lexi's such a great athlete that they work beautifully together."

"I have to play a lot more aggressively this year," said Bowman, who realizes the importance of Monday's title match.

"At state, it all depends on the seeding. Last year we had a pretty good draw."

Championship and third-place action will begin at 3:30 p.m. Monday at St. Charles East.