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MIDDLEBURY - Entering Wednesday's Northridge Regional finals, Wawasee girls tennis coach Phil Mishler felt confident Wawasee would beat Goshen at two spots -ÊNo. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles -Êin the lineup.
Senior Mandy Perzanowski, Wawasee's No. 1 singles player, entered with a 22-0 record. Wawasee's No. 1 doubles team of senior Laura Lundin and sophomore Margo Searfoss entered with a 14-2 record.
For Wawasee to win, the Warriors needed to pick up one more win at one of the three other spots in the lineup.
Mishler got the other win as freshman No. 2 singles player Kate Murphy beat sophomore Robin Braun 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. As always, Perzanowski delivered, improving to 23-0 with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over senior Lisa Robertson.
But when the championship match ended, Wawasee had lost 3-2, as Wawasee's No. 1 doubles team could not pull out a win.
Goshen improves to 13-2, while Wawasee finishes 13-5.
Goshen claimed its first regional championship since 1997 and left the Warriors searching for their first regional title. Northridge had won its regional the last two years.
"We were right where we wanted to be," Mishler said. "With Kate winning the No. 2 singles, we had a win where we didn't have one before."
Goshen defeated Wawasee 3-2 on April 28, with Wawasee winning at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. Wawasee's No. 1 doubles team had gone 2-0 against Goshen during two regular-season meetings. At the regional, Goshen's No. 1 doubles team of senior Megan Thomas and senior Steph Schmidt beat Lundin and Searfoss 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Lundin and Searfoss fell into a 5-2 hole in the first set, and while they forced a tiebreaker, their rally fell short.
"Where we slipped was No. 1 doubles," Mishler said. "They had beaten them two times this year, but it's hard to beat a team three times in a season. Their No. 1 doubles played consistent. We made a lot of errors."
Schmidt and Thomas improved to 14-5.
"That (No. 1 doubles) was a match Wawasee was counting on," Goshen coach Stan King said, "but I had been pleased with the way (Schmidt, Thomas) had been putting away net shots the last three weeks."
In other matches, Goshen junior Mary Rose Jordan beat sophomore Kayla Auer 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in No. 3 singles, and Goshen's No. 2 doubles team of juniors Carissa Heacock and Erin Mueller beat sophomore Alex Heckaman and freshman Ashley Ganz 6-4, 6-3.
The competitiveness of the No. 3 singles match surprised both coaches.
"We had great play at three singles," Mishler said, "and the way that match went was kind of unexpected."
Said King: "Mary at No. 3 singles, I thought that might be our easiest match, but she went three sets."
One match that went as expected was Perzanowski's. This is how dominating she has been this year: For the second time in 23 matches, she had to play a third set. Both times came against the same girl as Perzanowski went three sets in beating Robertson on April 28. Perzanowski has been so dominating the University of Detroit, a Division I-A school, scouted her last night.
"Lisa hit the ball well, and Mandy got a little tight," Mishler said. "For the first time this season, the pressure weighed on Mandy. Once Lisa showed weakness, Mandy moved in and finished her off."
Because she won at No. 1 singles, Perzanowski stays alive in the individual portion of the tennis regional. She plays Fairfield's Heather Krider (??) at 10 a.m. Saturday at Northridge.
Mishler left focusing on the future, which still appeared bright with only two seniors on this year's team.
"We had three sophomores and two freshmen in our lineup," Mishler said. "This will give them incentive. They saw what Mandy did. By being here, hopefully we've started a tradition."
GOSHEN 3, WAWASEE 2
Singles
No. 1 - Mandy Perzanowski (W) def. Lisa Robertson 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Kate Murphy (W) def. Robin Braun 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Mary Rose Jordan (G) def. Kayla Auer 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -ÊMegan Thomas/Steph Schmidt (G) def. Laura Lundin/Margo Searfoss 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
No. 2 - Carissa Heacock/Erin Mueller (G) def. Alex Heckaman/Ashley Ganz 6-4, 6-3
Records: Goshen 13-2, Wawasee 13-5
