Batavia blasts past Geneva

Liza Fruendt might not share the typical year-round schedule many of the area’s top tennis players employ, but it hasn’t stopped Batavia’s junior No. 2 from winning nearly every match she plays.

“In June we do camp here,” Fruendt said. “Then in August I play a couple days before tryouts and that’s about it.”

While certainly not the routine of many in the sport, Fruendt still has plenty of game. She didn’t have much trouble winning again Tuesday, defeating Geneva’s Emma Hazel 6-3, 6-2. That was one of the Bulldogs’ 5 straight-set victories in a 5-2 win that wrapped up a 6-0 Upstate Eight Conference River Division record.

Of course Fruendt is occupied the rest of the year honing her jump shot and dribble drive on the basketball court.

“I thought about it when I was little what I really want to do and if I would rather play tennis I’d be playing tennis all year round,” Fruendt said. “I know other people are doing other things but basketball is obviously more dominant and it’s what I love to do.”

Fruendt mixed up her shots to break away from Hazel after the two had several longer points early.

“We had some good rallies but I started to figure out what I needed to do to win points,” Fruendt said. “I started doing lobs, started hitting more variety and not the same thing over and over because she has good ground strokes and if you are going to battle it out with ground strokes it’s going to be tough. You have to keep mixing.”

At first doubles Batavia’s Jenny Mizikar and Amelia Cogan and Geneva’s Kelsey Hess and Bridget Weitzel met for the second time this season. The Geneva duo had pushed Batavia to 15-13 tiebreaker at the St. Charles East invitational last month.

That provided the incentive Mizikar and Cogan needed in a 6-1, 6-0 victory.

“We just wanted to beat them fast,” Mizikar said. “We were both on, we weren’t playing as timid.”

Cogan said Batavia’s best weapon in the rematch was Mizikar poaching and putting the ball away.

Both players said they also are well aware of the streak Batavia has going. The victory was its 23rd straight conference win dating back to a loss to Geneva in Western Sun play in 2008 — the year the Bulldogs opened their new courts.

“It’s actually a lot of pressure for us because coach always tells us that at the beginning of the match and makes us want to win more,” Mizikar said.

“We don’t take things lightly,” Cogan said.

Nora McClure picked up a 6-0, 6-2 win at third singles.

“I’m really happy with our singles play today,” Batavia coach Brad Nelson said. “They played two solid opponents and won by pretty convincing scores.”

Batavia’s other two wins came at No. 3 and No. 4 doubles, 6-2 and 6-2 for Morgan Hess and Lauren Hermann and 6-1, 6-2 for Betsy Oroni and Courtney Hutchinson, respectively.

Geneva sophomore Kirby Einck rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles.

“My serve was really working for me. Overall I was just playing really well,” said Einck, a state player as a freshman who said she wants to fine-tune her net game and second serve heading into this year’s postseason.

“I personally think my sophomore season is better than what I played last year because I’ve been beating some really good players. I’ve just been playing my top game.”

Geneva’s Margo Hess and Joanie Educato won the longest match of the day, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 over Brooke LeFevre and Annie Maren at second doubles.

“I thought Kirby played really well at one. She showed her power and how much she’s improved her game,” Geneva coach Maureen Weiler said. “It was great for my doubles team to come through. They are still getting better and better.”

Nelson also had plenty to be pleased about as both teams head to Elgin and Streamwood on Friday and then Elgin on Saturday for the Upstate Eight River tournament before sectionals the following week.

“It was a nice win and they just continue to plug away,” Nelson said. “There are days where I think we are not quite where we should be and then they come out and show me we’re still the team to beat. We have a tough conference and the success we’ve had the last few years motivates other teams when they play us. They want to be the team to get us.”