Glenbard West defeats WW South
There's nothing like the intensity of a tiebreaker in tennis to keep a player at peak concentration.
Glenbard West's Caroline Maltby stayed focused and defeated talented Wheaton Warrenville South freshman Samantha Choi 10-8 in the tiebreaker and helped lead the Hilltoppers to a 6-2 victory over the host Tigers on Monday.
The Hilltoppers swept the five doubles matches.
"I have worked hard at improving my mental game," said Maltby, a three-time state qualifier. "And today I was able to maintain my concentration and push really hard in that tiebreaker."
Maltby finished in the top 32 at state last year and she believes that her improved mental game will take her further as a senior.
"Keeping calm is really hard when you get to the state level," Maltby said, "but I think I've matured a lot."
After winning the first set 6-1, Maltby fell victim to Choi's consistency and dropped the second set by the identical score.
"Choi is a good player," said Glenbard West coach Jim Valleskey. "She was hitting everything back in the second set and Caroline hit a few out, and that's what happens when you play against a talented player. But Caroline had a breakthrough in the tiebreaker and won some tough points to come out on top."
"Samantha came back in that second set and played the way she knew how to play." said Wheaton Warrenville South coach Patti Clousing. "The tiebreaker could have gone either way. I think she'll take a lot of confidence from this match because Caroline is one of the top players she'll face."
It was Choi's first loss of the season.
"Samantha has a variety of shots so her opponents really have to stay on their toes, because they don't know what to expect," Clousing said.
WW South second singles Katya Shcherabyna defeated Grace Giffin in a closely contested match 7-5, 6-4, and the Tigers' third singles Liza Dreyer topped the Hilltoppers' Sarah Burke 6-1, 6-4.
The doubles matches were another story as Glenbard West's first doubles Molly Hughes and Molly Rueth continued their winning ways with a 6-1, 6-1 win to lead the five doubles victories for the Hilltoppers.
"Molly and Molly have been steady and they're getting better as the season goes," Valleskey said. "We're in a tough sectional, but we're hoping that they will be in the mix for state. Today was a good confidence-builder for our entire doubles lineup."
Valleskey also had praise for second doubles Allie Maltby, who is working her way back from a concussion, and her partner, the versatile Sophia Fausey, who won 6-3, 6-1.
"We knew our strength would be in our singles lineup," Clouusing said. "Our doubles are inexperienced and we've been switching things around looking for the right combinations. They're all playing tougher because they have to."