Area players run into tough foes at state
When you play like the best at the girls state tennis tournament, sooner or later you're going to have to play against the best.
Geneva's Kayla Fujimoto, and St. Charles North's doubles team of Megan Gow and Liselot Koenen both found that out Friday morning as they squared up against the top seed in each of their respective brackets, after sweeping all three of their Thursday matches.
Though both lost those matches, Fujimoto responded by winning her next three, and advancing to Saturday. Gow and Koenen had something to be proud of as they challenged Hinsdale Central's Courtney Dolehide and Nida Hamilton in the second set before dropping it 6-4.
"That was a good result for them," St. Charles North coach Tim Matacio said. "When you're playing the number one doubles team in the nation, as they did, you expect it to be tough."
The North Stars came back to win their next match.
Annemijn Koenen also found herself in a tough match against a highly seeded opponent, and lost the day's opener to Katie Kargl of Downers Grove.
"I went into that match feeling like I had no pressure," Koenen said. "She was the better player, but it was a close match and I thought I played very well."
Koenen then had to wait more than two hours because of weather delays before playing a little more than a set into her next match only to have it postponed in the second set. All three North Stars will resume action Saturday morning.
The delays became chronic at most tournament sites on Friday, but appeared to have little or no effect on Emily Reuland. The Rosary sophomore won a pair of matches in far from ideal conditions.
"I got a little out of my game because of the rain, but I was able to get it back," Reuland said. "You just have to stay focused and adapt to everything."
That brought Rueland's win total in the tournament to 4, the second year in a row that she's turned in a solid performance at state.
"Emily has matured a lot since last season, and she has learned how to really take advantage of her strengths," Rosary coach John Tsang said. "She's gained a lot more confidence."
Geneva's Blair Selakovich and Mary Pelling bounced back from a third round loss on Thursday by winning twice on Friday before bowing out.
West Aurora's Shannon Brooks and Lauren Henry struggled with both weather and injury-aided delays, the latter concerning an opponent in their second match of the day.
"They had a really long wait between matches," West Aurora coach Brian Brooks said. "They played better today than yesterday."