Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON - Call Monday's Warsaw/Tippecanoe Valley girls tennis match a friendly rivalry, if you will. Even more so for the No. 1 singles players, Warsaw's Abbie Simmons and Valley's Carissa Parker.
In the off-season the two combine to make up the Northern Indiana Tennis Association's No. 1 ranked doubles team in the 18-year-old girls division. Monday afternoon at Valley - during the match anyway - they were anything but friends.
While Parker comforted Simmons after their match, she was anything but soothing with racket in hand, topping the Warsaw senior 6-0, 6-0.
The Vikings also picked up wins at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles, winning the contest 3-2 and improving their record to 5-1. Warsaw falls to 4-2 on the season.
"It was a tough match for both girls," Warsaw coach Mike Baber said. "They know each other about as well as you can. Carissa just came out and played a great match today."
Said Valley coach Rod Hamman: "We said going in it was going to be tough to play her. Either way it was going to be tough on the other one. I just wanted Carissa to focus on what she could do. Saturday she had a tough match with with Sarah Yoder of Bethany Christian. I told her to just build on that. One thing she had going for her was that she's played Abbie before. She knew her game. Take nothing away from Abbie, she's an excellent tennis player. It just seemed like Carissa had the go-to shot."
Valley's No. 1 doubles team of Kyleigh Gast and Kris Sanders seemed to have the go-to shot as well. They topped Kara Kesler and Liza Weidenbenner, a duo that advanced to the state finals a year ago, 7-5, 6-0.
"These girls (Gast/Sanders) seem to thrive on pressure," Hamman said. "Some girls fold, but these guys rise to the occasion. I told them to come out swinging and be aggressive and let the chips fall where they may, and they did that."
Said Baber: "Valley has a good No. 1 doubles team. I feel our girls beat themselves more than Valley beat them. Valley did what they needed to do, but my girls made some mistakes."
The Vikings' third victory, the one that decided the match, came at the No. 2 singles position where Abby Lewis topped Amber Barrett 6-3, 6-3.
"I think the girls wanted this for Coach (Jack) Shambaugh and his wife," Hamman said. "His wife has medical problems and he hasn't been able to be here as much. I think the girls came out focused and did a super job."
Warsaw notched wins at No. 3 singles, where Lauren Witzky defeated Wendy Tilden 6-0, 6-2 and at No. 2 doubles, where Angie Suchecki and Tracy Yoder edged Alyssa Anglin and Jayme McCalla 6-2, 7-6.
Warsaw topped Valley twice a year ago, 4-1 in the regular season and 3-2 in the sectional championship.
"It was a close match last year," Baber said. "There's disapointment in a loss, but we lost to a good team. I try to encourage the girls to take something from a win or loss. Any loss is tough. I want the girls to grow from it. I think the girls will be ready the next time out."
Warsaw won the junior varsity contest 3-2, picking up wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles positions.
The Tigers (4-2) will be on the courts again Thursday when they host Northern Lakes Conference rival Wawasee at 4:30 p.m.
Valley (5-1) will host John Glenn Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 3, WARSAW 2
Singles
No. 1 - Carissa Parker (TV) def. Abbie Simmons 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 - Abby Lewis (TV) def. Amber Barrett 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 - Lauren Witzky (W) def. Wendy Tilden 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 - Kris Sanders/Kyleigh Gast (TV) def. Kara Kesler/Liza Weidenbenner 7-5, 6-0
No. 2 - Angie Suchecki/Tracy Yoder (W) def. Alyssa Anglin/Jayme McCalla 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
JV - Warsaw 3, Tippecanoe Valley 2
Singles
No. 1 - Lili Aguilar (W) def. Julie Studebaker 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 - Jamie Doud (TV) def. Abby Schori 8-6
No. 3 - Nikki Albertson (W) def. Elizabeth Johnson 8-3
Doubles
No. 1 - Angela Weller/Katie Nelson (TV) def. Sarah Hammon/Nicole Scrafton 9-8 (9-7)
No. 2 - Jamie Shirey/Katie Lee (W) def. Linda Weller/Kelly Sanders 8-2
