MIDDLEBURY - This season was a rebuilding campaign for the Warsaw girls tennis team.
Ending the season with a 7-7 record, the Tigers saw their season come to an end at the Northridge Regional Tuesday, losing 3-2 to the host Raiders."Tonight, we came here and I told the girls to have fun," Warsaw coach Rick Orban said. "I knew it was going to be a tough match."
"So when you lose 3-2 to a team this good, you can't feel bad," he added. "We've had a great season. The kids have really matured and really improved. That's all you can ask for."
Playing with just one senior to go with three juniors, a sophomore and two freshmen, this season was about growing, and began with a 4-1 loss to Northridge in the second match of the year.
"We were probably lucky to have won that point earlier in the season," Orban said.
Junior Audrey Petro won that match earlier in the season at No. 3 singles, and picked up another win over Northridge Tuesday, defeating Raiders sophomore Ella Wynn 6-4, 7-5. Warsaw's other victory came from freshman Alli Tucker at No. 2 singles, defeating senior Emily Herbster in three sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
"At this point, what you're doing is really building for the future," Orban said. "Had we won this match, I think (Wednesday) night may have been an impossibility against Jimtown (in the championship). You're building for next year, you're trying to build that confidence. I'm thrilled with the way we played, and I think we accomplished what we wanted to do tonight."
Northridge entered the regional matchup with a 16-1 record and a Northern Lakes Conference title under its belt.
Those credentials seemed well earned, as the doubles teams of Alyssa Hottinger and Mackenzie Pletcher won 6-2, 6-2 over Warsaw's Erin Coppes and Lauren Sciarra, before the No. 2 doubles tandem of Abbey Powers and Rita Jakubowicz dispatched Jennifer Lokotar and Stefani Davis by a score of 6-1, 6-3.
"I was pleased with the way the doubles teams began strong and finished strong through both sets," Northridge coach Jim Burkert said. "That kind of got us going."
Following the wins on the doubles courts, the Northridge fans migrated over to No. 1 singles, where Warsaw freshman Erika White and Northridge sophomore Kristin Zakiewicz were engaged in a tight first set.
After White nabbed a 3-2 lead, Zakiewicz battled to take the lead back, before the girls drew even at 5-5. From there, Zakiewicz began to take over, winning the final two games of the set before taking the second set 6-0.
"It may have helped Kristin a little bit, especially after she got that lead," Burkert said of his doubles teams winning before the fans moved to the No. 1 singles court. "That gave her confidence, especially in that second set, knowing we'd won two spots, and we needed one more."
Zakiewicz's victory proved to be the deciding one, with the Tigers taking victories on the other two singles courts.
"Anytime you beat someone in the season, you know they're gonna come back ready to play," Burkert said of the rematch between the two NLC squads. "(Warsaw) had nothing to lose tonight, and I give credit, especially, to all three singles players. They came out ready to play."
While the majority of the Tigers will look to improve for next season, at least one won't, with Coppes graduating this spring.
"Erin Coppes is someone I'm going to miss tremendously," Orban said. "She's been a leader of the team for the last two years. A wonderful, wonderful child. She's been a joy to coach. I would have like to have seen Erin win a regional and go to semistate again, but I think she's thrilled with the sectional win."
