Even if the foe was familiar, the Christian Brothers Academy girls tennis team did not take any chances, bringing its prime effort into last Thursday’s Section III Class B team tournament final against Westhill at Utica Parkway Courts.
As a result, the Brothers swept past the Warriors, 7-0, and finished off a 15-0 run through the season to earn the sectional crown.
None of the singles matches proved to be major headaches. Lianna Artessa rolled past Allison Haynes 6-0, 6-2, while Edie Douglas toppled Lauren Kelly 6-2, 6-1. After a tough first set, Caroline Tisdell finished off Danielle Connor 6-4, 6-0.
Twice, doubles matches went to three sets. Emily Norkett and Marissa Rotondo rallied to beat Amelie Barth and Katie Piazza 6-7, 7-5, 6-3, while Kellie Scullin and Julie Thomson-Basha also dropped the first set before beating Angela Lee and Katie Riley 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.
Elsewhere, CBA needed just two sets to prevail. Meghan Murphy and Kristen Robinson beat Danielle Almonte and Abby Langdon 6-2, 7-5, while Gwen Withers and Lauren Zalepeski got a 6-0, 6-4 win over Carolyn Nanno and Carolyn Jannetti.
CBA had a tough path to the title match, going through OHSL Liberty division rival Sknaeateles in last Monday’s Class B semifinal and working hard to beat the Lakers 5-2.
Douglas needed three sets in singles to beat Amirita Deol 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, and complete a singles sweep. Artessa wiped out Krissy Ryan 6-0, 6-0, as Tisdell got past Megan Holleran 6-2, 6-2.
Twice, CBA lost in doubles, but Withers and Zalepeski made up for it by beating Emily Trust and Marilyn Oliver 6-1, 6-4, with Murphy and Robinson earning a 7-6, 6-4 win over Sarah Trust and Hillary Fenner.
Manlius-Pebble Hill saw its Class C championship dreams end in last Monday’s semifinals with a 3-2 loss to Lowville.
Christina Douglas earned a point, beating Meg Kelly 6-0, 6-2, but Vanessa Fuliehan and Laura Flagg both lost singles matches in straight sets.
Meghan Crawford and Emily Falso earned the other point, in doubles, rallying past Jenny Plueger and Julia Guignard 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-8. In a crucial doubles match, Claire Kozik and Ali Erwin was one game from sending MPH to the finals, but could not grab it as Traci Wood and Alyssa Monet rallied to win 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1. Lowville went on to beat Wesmoreland 4-1 in Thursday’s title match.
