Warsaw Sweeps Wawasee To Advance To Sectional Semis
Warsaw Sweeps Wawasee To Advance To Sectional Semis
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Anthony Gadson-agadson@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Sweeps Wawasee To Advance To Sectional SemisThe Warsaw girls tennis team took step No. 1 to reaching its 12th-straight sectional crown Wednesday evening at home. Hosting their own five-team sectional, the Warsaw Lady Tigers (8-6) kicked things off by defeating the Wawasee Lady Warriors (3-11) by a 5-0 count, advancing to today’s semifinals against Tippecanoe Valley. Warsaw had already defeated Wawasee 4-1 on April 26 at home, but Orban didn’t want his girls to put too much stock into that win. “I told them, ‘This is a brand new season. Wawasee didn’t come here to lose. They came here to win.’,” he said. “(Tonight), against Tippy Valley, it will be the same thing. Nobody comes here to lose. They come here to win. We have to take it seriously.” Orban’s message must have been taken to heart, as the Lady Tigers didn’t drop a set in the win and lost just 13 games overall. “We stayed focused,” Orban said. One fear tactic Orban could use for his girls was the fact they did lose at No. 2 singles in the match earlier and the season and Warsaw’s No. 2 doubles lost to Wawasee’s Samantha Prins and Laura Romar-Gomez at last week’s Northern Lakes Conference Championships. “You never know,” Orban said. “It could have been a 3-2 (win) if we hadn’t come to play.” A difference was a lineup change, as Wawasee senior Morgan Geer was playing at No. 2 singles in the regular season, but played No. 1 singles in the sectional. Warsaw’s No. 2 singles player was also different from the regular season to the sectional. Also, Warsaw’s No. 2 doubles team has also been altered, as sophomore Taylor Moore is now playing with sophomore Mallory Bartel, replacing sophomore Rachel Alexander. Despite losing every match this time around, first-year Wawasee coach Jenessa Jergensen actually saw improvement with her team. “The last time we played them, we weren’t even a competitor for them,” she said. “They easily won. I’m definitely proud, because I think (our girls) saw in this match how much they’ve improved. “We were hopeful, and I think anything’s possible,” she added. “We weren’t expecting to come out with a team win, but maybe get some wins at individual spots.” Along with the Tippy Valley/Warsaw match today, Whitko will also take on Columbia City. Warsaw and Columbia City will be heavy favorites to advance out of today’s competition and meet up Saturday in the 10 a.m. championship. “When we played Columbia City, they gave us a battle,” Orban said about his team’s 4-1 over Columbia City on April 12 in Warsaw. “We had to fight for the win. If it is us and Columbia City, I’m expecting a good match. Trust me, the girls will be prepared for it.”
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0 (Warsaw Sectional, First Round) SINGLES: No. 1 — Sarah Hartle (War) def. Morgan Geer 6-1, 6-2; No. 2 — Jacqueline Sasso (War) def. Katy Ashpole 6-1, 6-2; No. 3 — Sarah Boyle (War) def. Samantha Klinge 6-0, 6-0 DOUBLES: No. 1 — Lindsay Sciarra/Olivia Wallin (War) def. Mia Hauser/Karla Allen 6-2, 6-1; No. 2 — Taylor Moore/Mallory Bartel (War) def. Laura Romar-Gomez/Samantha Prins 6-1, 6-3
