Three local teams took to the Warsaw tennis courts for the semifinal round of IHSAA Sectional 61 Thursday night, but only one team advanced to Saturday’s Championship as Warsaw defeated Wawasee 5-0 while Columbia City defeated Tippecanoe Valley  to advance to the sectional final.
The first of the two semifinals matches ended almost as soon as it began, as Warsaw’s three singles players won each of their matches in straight sets in around 30 minutes.
The first player off the court was No. 1 Addie Lind, who continued her dominant run and undefeated season with a 6-0, 6-0 win. Using a lightning rod serve and tremendous ball placement, Lind was able to carve her opponent, Wawasee’s Mackenzie Hackleman. The junior has not faced too many challenges so far this season, and looks to advance far into the state tournament with her 21-0 record.
“This is Addie’s third straight season going undefeated in conference. It’s been a joy watching her get mentally stronger each and every year,” Warsaw head coach Stacy Lind said.
The next player to earn a win was No. 2 Abby Nicholas, who took down the Lady Warriors’ Molly Beer 6-1, 6-0. Nicholas looked crisp in her match, covering all areas of the court while using all facets of her game to make things incredibly difficult to Beer.
“My players are beasts. When you’ve beaten a team a couple of times already, it’s hard to stay focused and avoid that mental lull,” Lind said. “But for them to keep pushing on and keep wanting the next point, shows how tough they are.”
Moments later, No. 3 Emma VanPuffelen took down Josie Sabin 6-0, 6-0 to also reach the 21-0 mark for her season. Still undefeated as well, VanPuffelen has been on an absolute tear, using a quick-paced game to tire her opponents out while not missing a beat in the meantime.
“Emma is a go-getter and I love seeing that she’s focused a lot on her shots and her strategy, which is going to take her very far,” Lind said.
About an hour after the match started, both doubles teams picked up wins for the Lady Tigers to make it a clean sweep in the match. The No. 1 pairing of Claire Reichenbach and Clara Porter breezed through their first set on a way to a 6-1 victory, but Wawasee’s duo of Kenley Stewart and Allison Clark battled hard in the second set, closing in on the Warsaw pair to make it 4-3 after seven games. Reichenbach and Porter would get it done from there however, winning the next two games for a 6-1, 6-3 win.

    Wawasee seniors Kenley Stewart (L) and Allison Clark give chase to the ball during their No. 1 doubles match...Nieter

Not long afterwards, the No.2 twosome of Whitney Dawson and Lucy Ray finished off the sweep with a 6-0, 6-2 win that clinched a season blanking of Wawasee this season. It capped off a tremendous week for the Lady Tigers, who won their first Northern Lakes Conference Championship in 13 years last Friday.
“I’m so proud of these girls, it really shows that their hard work is paying off and it’s nice that they’re getting rewarded for that,” Lind said. “Every player we have on varsity played year round, so for them to be reaping the rewards of that is incredible to see as a coach.”
The matches on the other side of the court were more competitive, but the results remained one sided. The first two matches to get done were the doubles, with Columbia City’s No. 1 duo of Breanna Taylor and Lindsay Taylor were able to earn a tough win against Valley’s Karley Hallstrom and Maci Parker. The Lady Eagles’ No. 2 of Alina Houser and Kennedy Hill also picked up a straight set win over the Lady Vikings’ Sienna Holder and Taylor Owens.

    Tippecanoe Valley junior Karegan Callahan uses a backhand return during her No. 1 singles sectional match Thursday evening at Warsaw...Nieter

Just after Columbia City No. 3 singles Avery Story picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win over Valley’s Sarah Finney, the match was delayed due to rain. The rest of the results will be published in tomorrow’s paper.
Warsaw will take on Columbia City Saturday afternoon at 4:30 back at Warsaw.
“I tell the girls to keep their feet moving, play their game and go out there expecting to win,” Lind said