Warsaw Girls Win Tennis Sectional
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
"This one's kind of special," Warsaw coach Rick Orban said. "At the beginning of the season, we had seniors that were struggling and we had freshmen that were playing well. Then the matches started, and we struggled. As the season progressed, the team began to come together as a team. The senior leadership was phenomenal, and we won the last five Northern Lakes Conference matches we played."[[In-content Ad]]During Warsaw's run through the Wawasee Sectional, the Tigers (10-5) have gone through the Warriors (5-12) each time, all in the championship game outside of 2005, when Warsaw downed the hosts 3-2 in the first round.
"We're progressing," Wawasee coach Roger Brady said. "I think we competed early today. We come out ready to play, and the girls were really focused. But talent and skill come out over enthusiasm. We're just not at the level of Warsaw right now."
Their latest championship was the sixth time Warsaw has blanked Wawasee in the title game in the past nine years, but Orban notices something a little different about this year's squad.
"Right now, this team has more confidence, I think, than any team I've ever had," Orban said. "I'm not saying more ability, but they have so much confidence. They're looking forward to (regionals), but they didn't look past this match. We knew that Wawasee would come to play."
Next for Warsaw is the Westview Warriors at the Northridge Regional today at 5 p.m. Westview advanced to regionals by winning the East Noble Sectional 5-0 over Central Noble Saturday.
"At any regional, you're going to face teams that are playing really well," Orban said. "They have to to win their sectional. We're looking forward to it. It's become a tradition to go to regional. We were talking the other day about how nice it would be to get the tradition of going to semistate."
The Tigers may be looking to start new traditions, but the Warriors are looking for a time when they can be more than Warsaw's last step to a sectional championship.
"We're still a work in progress, but no matter whether we're up or down, we're still working," Brady said. "We have a purpose, and we're tired of being in the basement. The girls are tired of not winning tough matches or not winning conference matches. We have a reason to work."
In Saturday's match, Wawasee failed to force a third set on any of the five matches.
"This is a great combination," Orban said about his lineup. "At 1 singles (sophomore Alli Tucker), 2 singles (senior Tara Akers), 3 singles (freshman Sarah Hartle), 1 doubles (sophomore Carlye Bishopp and junior Lauren Sciarra) and 2 doubles (seniors Stefani Davis and Jessica Cesaretti), everything's just kind of meshed and gelled with this team. Even the girls that aren't starting right now, they are suppoting their teammates so well. Kudos to them."
The longest match of the day came at No. 2 singles, where Akers was eventually able to shake sophomore Haley Windle, 6-3, 6-3.
Despite all the courts already being cleared, and the outcome already decided, Brady was happy to see Windle keep fighting.
"We don't quit, and that's part of our make-up," the Wawasee coach said.
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0
Singles
No. 1 - Tucker (War) def. Mark 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 - Akers (War) def. Windle 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 - Hartle (War) def. Brady 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Bishopp/Sciarra (War) def. Larson/Erb 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 - Cesaretti/Davis (War) def. McDaniel/Allen 6-0, 6-0
Records: Warsaw 10-5, Wawasee 5-12
"This one's kind of special," Warsaw coach Rick Orban said. "At the beginning of the season, we had seniors that were struggling and we had freshmen that were playing well. Then the matches started, and we struggled. As the season progressed, the team began to come together as a team. The senior leadership was phenomenal, and we won the last five Northern Lakes Conference matches we played."[[In-content Ad]]During Warsaw's run through the Wawasee Sectional, the Tigers (10-5) have gone through the Warriors (5-12) each time, all in the championship game outside of 2005, when Warsaw downed the hosts 3-2 in the first round.
"We're progressing," Wawasee coach Roger Brady said. "I think we competed early today. We come out ready to play, and the girls were really focused. But talent and skill come out over enthusiasm. We're just not at the level of Warsaw right now."
Their latest championship was the sixth time Warsaw has blanked Wawasee in the title game in the past nine years, but Orban notices something a little different about this year's squad.
"Right now, this team has more confidence, I think, than any team I've ever had," Orban said. "I'm not saying more ability, but they have so much confidence. They're looking forward to (regionals), but they didn't look past this match. We knew that Wawasee would come to play."
Next for Warsaw is the Westview Warriors at the Northridge Regional today at 5 p.m. Westview advanced to regionals by winning the East Noble Sectional 5-0 over Central Noble Saturday.
"At any regional, you're going to face teams that are playing really well," Orban said. "They have to to win their sectional. We're looking forward to it. It's become a tradition to go to regional. We were talking the other day about how nice it would be to get the tradition of going to semistate."
The Tigers may be looking to start new traditions, but the Warriors are looking for a time when they can be more than Warsaw's last step to a sectional championship.
"We're still a work in progress, but no matter whether we're up or down, we're still working," Brady said. "We have a purpose, and we're tired of being in the basement. The girls are tired of not winning tough matches or not winning conference matches. We have a reason to work."
In Saturday's match, Wawasee failed to force a third set on any of the five matches.
"This is a great combination," Orban said about his lineup. "At 1 singles (sophomore Alli Tucker), 2 singles (senior Tara Akers), 3 singles (freshman Sarah Hartle), 1 doubles (sophomore Carlye Bishopp and junior Lauren Sciarra) and 2 doubles (seniors Stefani Davis and Jessica Cesaretti), everything's just kind of meshed and gelled with this team. Even the girls that aren't starting right now, they are suppoting their teammates so well. Kudos to them."
The longest match of the day came at No. 2 singles, where Akers was eventually able to shake sophomore Haley Windle, 6-3, 6-3.
Despite all the courts already being cleared, and the outcome already decided, Brady was happy to see Windle keep fighting.
"We don't quit, and that's part of our make-up," the Wawasee coach said.
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0
Singles
No. 1 - Tucker (War) def. Mark 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 - Akers (War) def. Windle 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 - Hartle (War) def. Brady 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Bishopp/Sciarra (War) def. Larson/Erb 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 - Cesaretti/Davis (War) def. McDaniel/Allen 6-0, 6-0
Records: Warsaw 10-5, Wawasee 5-12
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092