As the leaders in the OHSL Freedom division when the last week of September began, the Chittenango girls tennis team needed every bit of its talent and resolve to stay in front — especially when playing four matches in five days.
But the Bears won them all, displaying again its ability to meet challenges when the pressure rose — and earning a piece of the league title, too.
In last Monday’s match against Mexico, the Bears beat off one challenger, topping the Tigers 5-2.
This time around, Chittenango’s singles players had free rein. Chelsea Cox routed Kim Norton 6-2, 6-0, while Ashley Trode whipped Joelle Dimon 6-1, 6-0, and Jessica Antelmi got past Samantha Race 6-1, 6-2.
Samantha Marji and Lauren Markley combined in doubles for a 7-5, 6-3 win over Tanya Pryor and Samantha Race. In three sets, Jacey Pudney and Samantha Ranieri beat Melissa Ouderkirk and Hannah Akley 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Lindsay Clifford and Samantha Tripoli lost in three sets to Mallory Yardsley and Tiarra Voce 6-1, 0-6, 6-3.
One day later, the Bears beat off another major challenge, toppling the Jamesville-DeWitt Red Rams 6-1.
Despite a few different combinations, Chittenango earned a doubles sweep. The teams of Clifford-Tripoli, Julia Cross-Lauren Whipple and Pudney-Ashley Trode all won in straight sets, while Theresa Myers and Lauren Markley teamed up for a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory over Nidhi Simlote and Sophia Min.
Up in singles, Alex Kraus lost in two sets, but Antelmi sailed past Joanna Wu 6-2, 6-1, and Cox got through three sets and beat Rebecca Wu 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
With no time to rest, the Bears hosted Fulton on Wednesday and got on top again, beating the Red Raiders 5-2 to clinch a tie for the Freedom division championship.
Cox got things going with a 6-0, 6-1 drubbing of Megan Andolina. Antelmi kept it up by beating Amanda Hawley 6-4, 6-0. Trode went through a long third set before falling to Kayleigh Drake 6-4, 6-7 (7-4), 13-11.
Chittenango went 3-1 in doubles matches, many of them tough ones. Raineri and Pudney rallied past Carolyn Ciciarelli and Meg Griswold 3-6, 6-1, 6-1, while Myers and Markley got past Nicole Westerbech and Leigh Bergman 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Only Whipple and Cross got a win in straight sets, topping Olivia Kelly and Kelsey Gardner 6-4, 6-3. In three tight sets, Tripoli and Clifford fell to Angel Hutchins and Sarah Munger 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
In Friday’s match with Cortland, the Bears’ hard work climaxed with a 6-1 romp over the Purple Tigers.
Cox and Antelmi won by equal 6-1, 6-4 margins over, respectively, Jamie Robertson and Robyn Hesse, but the doubles teams would pull off a sweep. In fact, the duos of Tripoli-Clifford, Myers-Markley, Cross-Whipple and Raineri-Pudney would all win in straight sets.
Continuing to build its glorious 2006 resume, the Bears won Saturday’s OHSL Freedom tournament at Cortland, with 43 points, as Cazenovia (31 points ) finished second.
Cox won a rematch with Robertson 6-0, 6-2 for the first singles title. Antelmi also won her second singles division in straight sets over Roberston 6-4, 6-2. Trode got to the third singles final, only to lose to Cazenovia’s Abby Cordes 6-2, 6-1.
Markley and Myers beat Laura Major and Emily Martin (Homer) 6-4, 6-3, in the second doubles final. And in third doubles, Cross and Whipple earned a 7-5, 6-2 finals victory over the Homer duo of Michele Plueger and Mariah Hubbard. The teams of Tripoli-Clifford and Raineri-Pudney both had second-place efforts.
