ELKHART -ÊAfter winning the Wawasee Sectional, the Warsaw tennis team knew they would have their work cut out for them at the regional against the winner of the Elkhart Central Sectional.

Add to that the fact that the winner of the Elkhart Central Sectional was Northridge, a team that defeated Warsaw in the regular season and tied for first place in the Northern Lakes Conference with Goshen and Plymouth, and Warsaw was definitely the underdog of the regional.

Warsaw's Kim Fluke was the first Tiger eliminated in the match after she fell to Northridge's Susie Plank 6-0, 6-0.

"The games at No. 3 singles were totally different, with different stategies," said Warsaw coach Jill Basden. "Kim (Fluke) played really well at the sectional, but she was outplayed in the regional."

At the No. 1 singles spot, Abbie Simmons played a tough match against Sarah Mater, but she fell 6-3, 6-1.

Warsaw was down 2-0 after the first two matches finished, but the Tigers refused to give up.

Kara Kesler and Liza Weidenbenner's doubles match at the No. 1 position finished next, and the Warsaw duo defeated Northridge's Mandy Robarge and Stephanie Herbster.

Kesler and Weidenbenner lost the first set 6-1, but they fought back to win the next two sets 7-5 and 6-4 to give Warsaw its first point of the match.

"Kara (Kesler) and Liza (Weidenbenner) played well against Northridge," said Basden. "I am very proud of them."

After Kesler and Weidenbenner defeated Northridge's No. 1 doubles team, Ashley Cavert and Elizabeth Hann were finishing their No. 2 doubles match against Alli Beier and Jessica Herbster.

Earlier in the season the Tigers fell to Northridge 4-1, but Warsaw's lone point came at the No. 2 doubles spot where Cavert and Hann defeated Amber Bontrager and Megan Woodsmall 6-4, 6-2. Warsaw hoped to repeat the results of the previous match, but Northridge had other plans.

Beier and Herbster combined to defeat Hann and Cavert 6-4, 6-4 to earn the victory for Northridge.

"Our No. 2 double beat their No. 2 doubles before," said Basden. "We were a bit disappointed that we didn't pull this match out. Elizabeth Hann had an injury to her wrist but she played through it. Hann and Cavert were ahead in both sets, but they just couldn't pull it out. Everybody has good days and bad days. I guess it just wasn't our day."

In the final match to finish, Heather VanPuffelen matched up against Jennifer Springer of Northridge. Van Puffelen was down 5-2 in the first set and came back to win the set 7-5. She dropped the next two sets to Springer 6-0 and 6-4.

"Heather made a great comeback in the first set," said Basden. "I guess we'll always wonder what could have been if the No. 2 singles had tied the score at two.

"We're still a budding team, though, and we hope to be back next year."

Kesler and Weidenbenner, however, are not finished. With their win, the Warsaw duo advanced to the semistate doubles competition Saturday at 10 a.m. Depending on the outcome of the team regional final tonight, Warsaw will play Goshen or Wawasee in the semistate.

Elkhart Central Tennis Regional

Northridge 4, Warsaw 1

Singles

No. 1 Sarah Mater (N) def. Abbie Simmons 6-3, 6-1

No. 2 Jennifer Springer (N) def. Heather Van Puffelen 5-7, 6-0, 6-4

No. 3 Susie Plank (N) def. Kim Fluke 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

No. 1 Kara Kesler/Liza Weidenbenner (W) def. Mandy Robarge/Stephanie Herbster 1-6, 7-5, 6-4

No. 2 Alli Beier/Jessica Herbster (N) def. Ashley Cavert/Elizabeth Hann 6-4, 6-4

Warsaw's No. 1 doubles team (Kesler/Weidenbenner) advances to the semistate Saturday. [[In-content Ad]]