Fremd doubles tandem upset in state semifinals
After racking up 44 wins this season, the Fremd No. 1 doubles team of sophomore Kyra Emmanouillidis and freshman Akari Matsuno faltered for the first time Friday in the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament.
Emmanouilidis/Matsuno dropped a 6-1, 6-4 loss to the 5-8 seeded Wheaton Warrenville South pair of Samantha Choi/Emily Orlove.
"We played a fantastic team," said Fremd coach Scott Newmark. "We haven't seen a team like them all year. It's tough when you lose and you've never lost all year. We have to show how we can respond after a loss. This is the state semis. It doesn't get any bigger than that. There's room for improvement."
Weather conditions was the tournament's Achilles' heel all day Friday as the championship series was moved indoors. Advantage deuce scoring was omitted from the tournament due to the rain.
Before the loss, the top-seeded Viking duo registered top four status after defeating the Oak Park-River Forest tandem of Sophia Kreider/Maya Jamroz 6-3, 6-4 at River Trails Tennis Club in Arlington Heights.
Following the Oak Park-River Forest victory, Emmanouilidis/Matsuno traveled north to the Midtown Athletic Club in Bannockburn in the evening to take on Choi/Orlove. The Viking twosome got off to a slow start losing seven of their first eight games.
The 6-1 loss was their first set loss this season. The Viking No. 1 team dropped the first two games in the second set, but bounced back and tied their Wheaton Warrenville South adversaries at two games apiece.
However, Choi/Orlove notched back-to-back near shutout wins as the Tigers started to run away with a 4-2 lead. Although Emmanouilidis/Matsuno rediscovered their mojo, Choi/Orlove were able to close them out for a state championship berth.
"The spotlight also beat us in this scenario," Newmark said. "(Having) everyone watch them, took them off guard and off their game. You can't shy away in these circumstances. We have to come out (Saturday) and play like we've played all year. Not many people can say they've won their final match of the season."
Emmanouilidis/Matsuno play Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for third place against the No. 2-seeded Highland Park duo of Monique Brual/Samara Michael. The Viking No. 1 doubles team has defeated Brual/Michael twice this season including in the Highland Park sectional semifinals.
The back draw was essentially postponed for the day. Fremd's No. 2 team senior Diya Matta/junior Kellie Ha began their consolation bracket bout at Schaumburg against Belleville West team Kaitlyn and Taylor Fiedler. Before the rain came, Matta/Ha led the Fiedlers 5-1 in the first set.
Barrington's final state qualifiers, No. 1 doubles team Mounika Gadirjau/Kathleen Tomasian, were eliminated from the state tournament after a 4-6, 6-2 (10-6) loss to Naperville North team Kavya Rachapalli/Irene Zhang. Maine West senior Maja Kozerski lost her second match of the tourney to Benet Academy's Daniella Nenadovich.
All remaining area players are playing in the consolation bracket. Matta/Ha continue their match against the Fiedlers at Hersey, Huskies' freshman Natalie Osiecki faces off against Nenadovich and Schaumburg freshman Emma Tatar takes on Belleville East's Chloe McIsaac at Palatine at 8 a.m.
Osiecki tallied a win over Nenadovich prior to her high school years in USTA.
"It's the state playoffs; everyone plays different because nobody wants to go home," said Hersey coach Sharon Meintzer said of Osiecki's opponent. "I know Natalie is hungry after the loss to (St. Ignatius' Tyra Richardson)."
"(Osiecki) is so receptive when we are coaching her. She is experienced with all of this state tournament pressure because she's been in these types of situations. That's the benefit of offseason tennis."