Lady Tiger Tennis Takes Home 22nd Straight Sectional Title
May 19, 2023 at 1:31 a.m.
Lady Tiger Tennis Takes Home 22nd Straight Sectional Title
By Connor McCann-
Both the semis and championship matches were played Thursday evening because of Friday’s forecast of rain.
“It’s been a great journey for this team and it’s been so fun watching them come out and compete day in and day out,” Warsaw head coach Stacy Lind said after the match. “This is a young team with a lot of first time varsity players that rose to the occasion and did what they were supposed to do.”
Warsaw No. 1 singles player Addie Lind wasted no time getting her victory in the championship, winning her match 6-0, 6-0 in under 30 minutes. Lind looked crisp and light on her feet while her opponent, Columbia City’s Kyndra Sheets, looked as if some fatigue from her three-set match against Whitko’s Abbi Frank in the semis was starting to set in.
Not long afterwards, No. 2 and No. 3 singles players Abby Nicholas (6-2, 6-1) and Emma Van Puffelen (6-0, 6-1) would finish off straight set victories to give the Lady Tigers the three wins needed to clinch the sectional title.
“My girls are confident, resilient and driven,” Lind said. “They work hard because they want to succeed so badly and it really shows. I’m so proud of them.”
The doubles competition was much closer, but still resulted in wins for the Tigers. No. 2 pairing Lucy Ray and Claire Reichenbach had to battle back from an early deficit but still ended up pulling off a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Due to the longevity of the day, the No. 1 singles match featuring Clara Porter and Avery Landwerlen was paused as the sun began to set. The fifth and final match will resume some time Friday tied at 1-1 going into the third and final set.
In the preceding semifinals, Warsaw made quick work of Northern Lakes Conference opponent Wawasee, with every victory in the sweep coming in straight sets. Van Puffelen was the first player off the court, winning her match against Cyanna Leon 6-0, 6-0.
Not long afterwards, Nicholas used her lightning-rod serve to cruise to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Wawaee’s Mya Taylor. Both matches took under an hour to complete and just like that, Warsaw was just one more win away from advancing to the championship.
It wouldn’t take much longer to get it, as the doubles pairings of Porter and Landwerlen as well as Ray and Reichenbach overcame some early troubles to finish off straight set victories. The Wawasee No. 1 doubles pair of Allison Clark and Kenley Stewart were able to jump out to an early lead before Porter and Landwerlen mounted the comeback.
Lind finished off the Warsaw sweep not long after, looking unstoppable at times during her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Wawasee’s Kiah Farrington. Despite the lopsided score, the two players engaged in a highly competitive match that saw each player grab momentum after some long and impressive points.
Whitko, fresh off of a Wednesday evening victory over Tippecanoe Valley, battled hard in the semis, ultimately falling short in a 3-2 loss. The Columbia City doubles teams were too much of a mismatch for the Lady ‘Cats, as Jillian Culp and Bailey Wolfe as well as Hannah Moore and Grace Burnworth suffered straight set defeats.
The singles competition was much kinder to Whitko, as the Lady ‘Cats picked up the next two wins to tie the match up at 2-2. No. 2 Anna Arter won her match 6-1, 6-2 while No. 3 Jayda Gregory fought back from an early deficit to take her match 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Both Arter and Gregory will advance in the state’s individual competition with their wins.
With the match evened up and a spot in the championship game on the line, Frank was unable to capitalize on her fast start, cooling off and ultimately losing 6-0, 6-7 (7-2), 0-6, putting the Eagles in the championship.
The Lady Tigers continue their journey in the regional round Tuesday evening at Culver Academies.
Both the semis and championship matches were played Thursday evening because of Friday’s forecast of rain.
“It’s been a great journey for this team and it’s been so fun watching them come out and compete day in and day out,” Warsaw head coach Stacy Lind said after the match. “This is a young team with a lot of first time varsity players that rose to the occasion and did what they were supposed to do.”
Warsaw No. 1 singles player Addie Lind wasted no time getting her victory in the championship, winning her match 6-0, 6-0 in under 30 minutes. Lind looked crisp and light on her feet while her opponent, Columbia City’s Kyndra Sheets, looked as if some fatigue from her three-set match against Whitko’s Abbi Frank in the semis was starting to set in.
Not long afterwards, No. 2 and No. 3 singles players Abby Nicholas (6-2, 6-1) and Emma Van Puffelen (6-0, 6-1) would finish off straight set victories to give the Lady Tigers the three wins needed to clinch the sectional title.
“My girls are confident, resilient and driven,” Lind said. “They work hard because they want to succeed so badly and it really shows. I’m so proud of them.”
The doubles competition was much closer, but still resulted in wins for the Tigers. No. 2 pairing Lucy Ray and Claire Reichenbach had to battle back from an early deficit but still ended up pulling off a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Due to the longevity of the day, the No. 1 singles match featuring Clara Porter and Avery Landwerlen was paused as the sun began to set. The fifth and final match will resume some time Friday tied at 1-1 going into the third and final set.
In the preceding semifinals, Warsaw made quick work of Northern Lakes Conference opponent Wawasee, with every victory in the sweep coming in straight sets. Van Puffelen was the first player off the court, winning her match against Cyanna Leon 6-0, 6-0.
Not long afterwards, Nicholas used her lightning-rod serve to cruise to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Wawaee’s Mya Taylor. Both matches took under an hour to complete and just like that, Warsaw was just one more win away from advancing to the championship.
It wouldn’t take much longer to get it, as the doubles pairings of Porter and Landwerlen as well as Ray and Reichenbach overcame some early troubles to finish off straight set victories. The Wawasee No. 1 doubles pair of Allison Clark and Kenley Stewart were able to jump out to an early lead before Porter and Landwerlen mounted the comeback.
Lind finished off the Warsaw sweep not long after, looking unstoppable at times during her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Wawasee’s Kiah Farrington. Despite the lopsided score, the two players engaged in a highly competitive match that saw each player grab momentum after some long and impressive points.
Whitko, fresh off of a Wednesday evening victory over Tippecanoe Valley, battled hard in the semis, ultimately falling short in a 3-2 loss. The Columbia City doubles teams were too much of a mismatch for the Lady ‘Cats, as Jillian Culp and Bailey Wolfe as well as Hannah Moore and Grace Burnworth suffered straight set defeats.
The singles competition was much kinder to Whitko, as the Lady ‘Cats picked up the next two wins to tie the match up at 2-2. No. 2 Anna Arter won her match 6-1, 6-2 while No. 3 Jayda Gregory fought back from an early deficit to take her match 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Both Arter and Gregory will advance in the state’s individual competition with their wins.
With the match evened up and a spot in the championship game on the line, Frank was unable to capitalize on her fast start, cooling off and ultimately losing 6-0, 6-7 (7-2), 0-6, putting the Eagles in the championship.
The Lady Tigers continue their journey in the regional round Tuesday evening at Culver Academies.
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