Unlikely Duo Leads Lady Tigers To Win
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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In reality, prior to Wednesday’s sectional opener against the Columbia City Lady Eagles, the Warsaw duo had just one varsity match between them, and had never played together as a doubles tandem.
None of that seemed to faze them, however, as Kerlin and Fleming accounted for the deciding point, leading the host Lady Tigers to a 3-2 team win with their 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory over seniors Breanna Hicks and Alaina Beckner at No. 2 doubles.
Warsaw, trying to push its sectional championship streak to 13, improved to 2-10 on the season, while Columbia City’s season ended with a 10-9 mark.
The Lady Tigers will play county rival Tippecanoe Valley in today’s sectional semifinal round at 5 p.m. Wawasee and Whitko will square off in the other semifinal today, with the winners meeting at 5 p.m. Friday in the championship match.
“When I made the lineup change, I never dreamt it would come down to a finish like this,” said Warsaw coach Rick Orban. “Camille and Rosie are the heroes tonight, hands down. I’m so proud of them, and I’m absolutley thrilled for our girls, our program and our school.”
Warsaw’s other two team points came at No. 2 singles, where junior Jacqueline Sasso beat junior Kennedy Slavicek 6-0, 6-1, and at No. 3 singles, where senior Lindsay Sciarra defeated Adrianna Brown 6-1, 6-0.
“We came into the sectional as the prohibitive underdog,” said Orban, whose team doubled its season win total with Wednesday’s victory. “Columbia City is a really solid team, and we haven’t played well all year.
“We were invited to breakfast with the Optimists, and I told the girls this is about pride, it’s about winning our 13th sectional in a row,” added Orban.
The win over Columbia City didn’t get Warsaw any hardware, but it pushed the Lady Tigers one step closer.
“It means so much to me that I could step in and help the team,” said Kerlin, who had the experience of one varsity match prior to Wednesday. “I knew what was going on with the other matches, and I felt some pressure, but I never thought we couldn’t do it, even when we were down.”
Fleming, who played on the No. 7 JV doubles team in the first match of the season, certainly made her first varsity experience one to remember.
“I’m just really happy and thankful I could be there for the team,” said Fleming. “I’m thankful I had a good partner out there to support me. I was just focusing on my own game. Coach told us if we put our mind to it we could win.”
And they did exactly that.
Columbia City’s two team points came at No. 1 singles, where senior Celine Rongos defeated junior Sarah Boyle 6-0, 6-2, and at No. 1 doubles, where junior Sydney Ford and sophomore Macie Hinen beat seniors Olivia Wallin and Marlena Smith 0-6, 6-3, 6-1.
(Warsaw Sectional)
WARSAW 3, COLUMBIA CITY 2
Singles: No. 1 – Celine Rongos (CC) def. Sarah Boyle 6-0, 6-2; No. 2 – Jacqueline Sasso (W) def. Kennedy Slavicek 6-0, 6-1; No. 3 – Lindsay Sciarra (W) def. Adrianna Brown 6-1, 6-0
Doubles: No. 1 – Sydney Ford/Macie Hinen (CC) def. Olivia Wallin/Marley Smith 0-6, 6-3, 6-1; No. 2 – Camille Kerlin/Rosalia Fleming (W) def. Breanna Hicks/Alaina Beckner 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Records: Warsaw 2-10, Columbia City 10-0
Semifinal matches – 5 p.m. today: Warsaw vs. Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee vs. Whitko
Championship – 5 p.m. Friday[[In-content Ad]]
In reality, prior to Wednesday’s sectional opener against the Columbia City Lady Eagles, the Warsaw duo had just one varsity match between them, and had never played together as a doubles tandem.
None of that seemed to faze them, however, as Kerlin and Fleming accounted for the deciding point, leading the host Lady Tigers to a 3-2 team win with their 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory over seniors Breanna Hicks and Alaina Beckner at No. 2 doubles.
Warsaw, trying to push its sectional championship streak to 13, improved to 2-10 on the season, while Columbia City’s season ended with a 10-9 mark.
The Lady Tigers will play county rival Tippecanoe Valley in today’s sectional semifinal round at 5 p.m. Wawasee and Whitko will square off in the other semifinal today, with the winners meeting at 5 p.m. Friday in the championship match.
“When I made the lineup change, I never dreamt it would come down to a finish like this,” said Warsaw coach Rick Orban. “Camille and Rosie are the heroes tonight, hands down. I’m so proud of them, and I’m absolutley thrilled for our girls, our program and our school.”
Warsaw’s other two team points came at No. 2 singles, where junior Jacqueline Sasso beat junior Kennedy Slavicek 6-0, 6-1, and at No. 3 singles, where senior Lindsay Sciarra defeated Adrianna Brown 6-1, 6-0.
“We came into the sectional as the prohibitive underdog,” said Orban, whose team doubled its season win total with Wednesday’s victory. “Columbia City is a really solid team, and we haven’t played well all year.
“We were invited to breakfast with the Optimists, and I told the girls this is about pride, it’s about winning our 13th sectional in a row,” added Orban.
The win over Columbia City didn’t get Warsaw any hardware, but it pushed the Lady Tigers one step closer.
“It means so much to me that I could step in and help the team,” said Kerlin, who had the experience of one varsity match prior to Wednesday. “I knew what was going on with the other matches, and I felt some pressure, but I never thought we couldn’t do it, even when we were down.”
Fleming, who played on the No. 7 JV doubles team in the first match of the season, certainly made her first varsity experience one to remember.
“I’m just really happy and thankful I could be there for the team,” said Fleming. “I’m thankful I had a good partner out there to support me. I was just focusing on my own game. Coach told us if we put our mind to it we could win.”
And they did exactly that.
Columbia City’s two team points came at No. 1 singles, where senior Celine Rongos defeated junior Sarah Boyle 6-0, 6-2, and at No. 1 doubles, where junior Sydney Ford and sophomore Macie Hinen beat seniors Olivia Wallin and Marlena Smith 0-6, 6-3, 6-1.
(Warsaw Sectional)
WARSAW 3, COLUMBIA CITY 2
Singles: No. 1 – Celine Rongos (CC) def. Sarah Boyle 6-0, 6-2; No. 2 – Jacqueline Sasso (W) def. Kennedy Slavicek 6-0, 6-1; No. 3 – Lindsay Sciarra (W) def. Adrianna Brown 6-1, 6-0
Doubles: No. 1 – Sydney Ford/Macie Hinen (CC) def. Olivia Wallin/Marley Smith 0-6, 6-3, 6-1; No. 2 – Camille Kerlin/Rosalia Fleming (W) def. Breanna Hicks/Alaina Beckner 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Records: Warsaw 2-10, Columbia City 10-0
Semifinal matches – 5 p.m. today: Warsaw vs. Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee vs. Whitko
Championship – 5 p.m. Friday[[In-content Ad]]
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