Warriors Move To Title Match
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MIDDLEBURY - After starting this tennis season by splitting their first six matches, the Wawasee Warriors got in a groove. That groove began at the beginning of May and has now lasted 12 matches.
In that span, Wawasee has won 11 times, including two victories against rival Warsaw and a third-place finish in the Northern Lakes Conference after finishing dead last the previous year. Tuesday, the Warriors added to their storybook season by winning their first-ever regional match, defeating DeKalb 4-1.
The Warriors can now add that first regional win in school history to the other firsts they have attained this year - first sectional championship in school history and most wins.
"They're on top of their game right now," Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler said. "You can see it in their faces. It usually takes two or three years of hard work to begin to pay off and it's beginning to pay off."
Wawasee ended the match quickly as Kara Mathew at No. 2 singles, Kardia Senkspiel and Laura Lundin at No. 1 doubles and Kim Troup and Steph Shivers at No. 2 doubles all won easily.
Mathew beat Suzanne Liddell 6-1, 6-4 and Senkspiel and Lundin won 6-2, 6-2. Troup and Shivers put together a fast 6-2, 6-3 victory which gave Mishler the chance to sit back and watch his No. 1 and No. 3 singles players battle through long matches without any tension.
At No. 1 singles, sophomore Mandy Perzanowski struggled early in the match, dropping the first set 6-2 and trailing in the second set early.
However, she fought back to win set No. 2 6-3 and swept Davis in the third set 6-0.
"She just started moving," Mishler said. "She got a little upset with how she was playing and she got a good talking to."
At No. 3 singles, Shanda Bucher dropped a three-setter. Bucher, who is somewhat of a specialist in those long matches, won the first set 6-3, before losing the last two sets 6-4 and 6-2. She had won her last three matches that went the full three sets.
Mishler has seen some great tennis from his team over the last four weeks whether in matches or practice and that gives him great confidence today in the regional championship.
"They're still hungry and that's what surprises me," Mishler said. "At practice Monday, I wondered if they would come in focused on a holiday, but they were. They wanted to keep hitting and I had to tell them that it was time to go. When you see that kind of dedication and leadership, you know you have a good team."
Wawasee will face its toughest test in some time, meeting No. 17 Northridge today at Elkhart Central for the regional championship at 4:30 p.m.
Northridge and Wawasee have seen each other twice this year. The most recent time was at the NLC Championship in which the Raiders won the meet, and the Warriors placed third.
The first time Wawasee and Northridge faced off, the Raiders were victorious 4-1. Troup and Shivers won the only match for the Warriors that day, a three-set 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
WAWASEE 4, DEKALB 1
Record in parentheses
Singles
No. 1 - Mandy Perzanowski (Wawasee, 17-5) def. Jenny Davis 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 - Kara Mathew (Wawasee, 17-6) def. Suzanne Liddell 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 - Jill Farlow (DeKalb) def. Shanda Bucher (11-8) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 - Kardia Senkspiel and Laura Lundin (Wawasee, 12-4) def. Amanda Thompson and Rachel Skelly 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Kim Troup and Steph Shivers (Wawasee, 21-2) def. Cara Walters and Emily Turner 6-2, 6-3 [[In-content Ad]]
MIDDLEBURY - After starting this tennis season by splitting their first six matches, the Wawasee Warriors got in a groove. That groove began at the beginning of May and has now lasted 12 matches.
In that span, Wawasee has won 11 times, including two victories against rival Warsaw and a third-place finish in the Northern Lakes Conference after finishing dead last the previous year. Tuesday, the Warriors added to their storybook season by winning their first-ever regional match, defeating DeKalb 4-1.
The Warriors can now add that first regional win in school history to the other firsts they have attained this year - first sectional championship in school history and most wins.
"They're on top of their game right now," Wawasee head coach Phil Mishler said. "You can see it in their faces. It usually takes two or three years of hard work to begin to pay off and it's beginning to pay off."
Wawasee ended the match quickly as Kara Mathew at No. 2 singles, Kardia Senkspiel and Laura Lundin at No. 1 doubles and Kim Troup and Steph Shivers at No. 2 doubles all won easily.
Mathew beat Suzanne Liddell 6-1, 6-4 and Senkspiel and Lundin won 6-2, 6-2. Troup and Shivers put together a fast 6-2, 6-3 victory which gave Mishler the chance to sit back and watch his No. 1 and No. 3 singles players battle through long matches without any tension.
At No. 1 singles, sophomore Mandy Perzanowski struggled early in the match, dropping the first set 6-2 and trailing in the second set early.
However, she fought back to win set No. 2 6-3 and swept Davis in the third set 6-0.
"She just started moving," Mishler said. "She got a little upset with how she was playing and she got a good talking to."
At No. 3 singles, Shanda Bucher dropped a three-setter. Bucher, who is somewhat of a specialist in those long matches, won the first set 6-3, before losing the last two sets 6-4 and 6-2. She had won her last three matches that went the full three sets.
Mishler has seen some great tennis from his team over the last four weeks whether in matches or practice and that gives him great confidence today in the regional championship.
"They're still hungry and that's what surprises me," Mishler said. "At practice Monday, I wondered if they would come in focused on a holiday, but they were. They wanted to keep hitting and I had to tell them that it was time to go. When you see that kind of dedication and leadership, you know you have a good team."
Wawasee will face its toughest test in some time, meeting No. 17 Northridge today at Elkhart Central for the regional championship at 4:30 p.m.
Northridge and Wawasee have seen each other twice this year. The most recent time was at the NLC Championship in which the Raiders won the meet, and the Warriors placed third.
The first time Wawasee and Northridge faced off, the Raiders were victorious 4-1. Troup and Shivers won the only match for the Warriors that day, a three-set 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
WAWASEE 4, DEKALB 1
Record in parentheses
Singles
No. 1 - Mandy Perzanowski (Wawasee, 17-5) def. Jenny Davis 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 - Kara Mathew (Wawasee, 17-6) def. Suzanne Liddell 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 - Jill Farlow (DeKalb) def. Shanda Bucher (11-8) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 - Kardia Senkspiel and Laura Lundin (Wawasee, 12-4) def. Amanda Thompson and Rachel Skelly 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Kim Troup and Steph Shivers (Wawasee, 21-2) def. Cara Walters and Emily Turner 6-2, 6-3 [[In-content Ad]]