Girls tennis: Move west agrees with sectional champ Glenbard West
Heading west to participate in the St. Charles East girls tennis sectional proved to be a nice change of pace for Glenbard West.
Getting away from longtime state powerhouse Hinsdale Central also helps.
Led by a 1-2 doubles finish and a second-place singles performance from freshman Sienna Lopez, the Hilltoppers captured their first sectional title since 2013 Saturday afternoon at the Norris Recreation Center.
"This is something you hope for as a coach - getting better and better each match and each tournament," said Glenbard West coach Jim Valleskey.
The Hilltoppers' top-seeded doubles tandem of juniors Grace Giffin and Molly Rueth improved their record to 27-3 with a 6-3, 6-0 title victory.
Their opponents - none other than senior teammates Ali Koch and Summer Johanneson (24-5).
"It was a little weird," said Rueth. "We just tried to go out and have fun. It's kind of hard playing your teammates."
"I think it was one of the most nerve-wracking matches I've ever had because it's (against) your teammates," said Giffin. "We had a fun time together though."
Valleskey had simple advice for his doubles teams prior to the match.
"I told them two things - don't get hurt and to play hard and have fun," said the coach. "To have an all-Glenbard final is really awesome.
"Molly and Grace - they've been great. Their only losses have been to Hinsdale (Central). They're primed hopefully for a deep run in the state tournament."
Another girl primed to make a deep state tournament run next weekend is Wheaton Warrenville South's Samantha Choi.
The sophomore singles standout remained unbeaten at 24-0 following a hard-fought, 7-5, 6-3 title triumph over Glenbard West's Lopez (20-7).
Choi, who advanced to the top 24 last year as a freshman, survived a grueling opening set. Trailing 5-4, she broke serve thanks to an array of groundstrokes and solid play at the net and went on to win the final 3 games.
"I was just hot," said Choi, who helped lead the Tigers to a second-place team finish. "I was wearing the long pants and long-sleeve shirt (in the semifinals) and I was getting very tired.
"I needed to move around - that really helped. I started to gain more energy so I could hold my own against her power shots. I probably also tired her out a little bit."
Wheaton North sophomore Madeline Fidel (20-7) bounced back from her 2-6, 2-6 semifinal loss to Chen with a 6-2, 6-1 third-place victory over Tigers freshman Emily Orlove (26-2).
"It's the sixth time in two years that I've played Sam (Choi)," said Fidel. "Every time we've played it has gotten closer and closer. I feel like I have nothing to lose when I play her because she's a really good player.
"I was happy with the way I played."
The top 4 singles finishers advance to this week's Class 2A state tournament.
The Tri-Cities will be represented at state by a pair of doubles teams - Batavia's Julianne Robinson and Maddie Durso, and St. Charles North's Shelby Thomas and Breanne Walker.
Entering sectional play unseeded, the Bulldogs' Robinson-Durso duo upset Geneva's top team in a 3-set second-round match on Friday before sealing a state bid with an impressive 6-3, 6-1 quarterfinal win against Wheaton Warrenville South Saturday morning.
"We were really pumped for that match (against Geneva)," said Durso.
Robinson and Durso teamed up for a 6-1, 6-4 win over St. Charles North in the third-place match.
"I think once we beat Geneva, we were kind of on a roll," said Robinson.
"I'm very happy for both of them," said Batavia coach Brad Nelson. "Julianne is a four-year varsity player who lost a tough three-setter at sectionals her sophomore year."
It marks the 11th straight season that North Stars coach Sean Masoncup has qualified a player for the state tournament.
St. Charles North's Thomas and Walker are now 8-3 overall.