Liverpool girls tennis star Katelyn Nguyen got within two matches of making it all the way to this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship tournament in Port Chester.
It all started in the Section III Division I tournament, where Nguyen made it to the semifinals, though no one was able to stop Auburn’s Julia Wagner from taking the title over Fayetteville-Manlius’ Kristina Liu in the Oct. 14 final at Liverpool.
Still, Nguyen had earned a spot in the sectional state qualifier, where 16 singles players and 15 doubles teams battled for three spots apiece at the state tournament.
In the opening round, Nguyen faced Whitesboro’s Paula Germershausen, and with powerful serves and forehand Nguyen delivered a straight set victory 6-4, 6-2, which put her in the quarterfinals against Liu, whom she had not faced in either of the regular-season matches between Liverpool and F-M.
Nguyen won the first three games of the opening set, but could not hang on and took a 6-4 defeat. Then, in the second set, Nguyen rallied to tie it 5-5 and staved off two match points, but could not keep Liu from prevailing 7-5.
Liu would lose her semifinal to Auburn’s Julia Wagner, but rebound to beat CBA’s Grace DelPino for the third and final singles spot in the state tournament, joining Wagner and New Hartford’ Sarah Corasanti.
The doubles teams advancing to the state tournament include F-M’s Maggie Bonomo and Katerina-Atallah, Oneida’s Brianna Laureti and Lauren Skibitski and West Genesee’s Mikayla Mannara and Katie Viau.
