By By ADAM FISHER / Niles Daily Star
The words of Buchanan tennis coach Cuppy Mace when the Bucks faced Brandywine in seven of the eight flight finals at Friday's Lakeland Conference championship meet.
Unlike when Buchanan took a 6-2 victory over the Bobcats in a dual meet 10 days ago, however, Brandywine came out on top Friday, winning four individual championships to win the conference meet.
Because Buchanan won the regular-season title, the Bucks and Bobcats were named co-champions of the league.
The Bucks actually won four of the seven head-to-head finals. But because Buchanan's No. 4 singles player Olivia Bonardi didn't make it to the finals, the Bucks didn't get second-place points.
Amber Valentine won the flight for Brandywine, giving them final edge and the tournament championship.
Buchanan was led by its top singles players, No. 1 Ashley Shepherd and No. 2 Jaclyn Mummaw. Both won their flight championships, beating Brandywine's Jenny Zellman and Jenny Cowen, respectively.
Mace said her whole team played tough, and she expected nothing but great competition at the meet.
The match of the day was the No. 3 doubles finals between Brandywine's Nikki Cooper and Courtnay Schlutt and Buchanan's Brittanee Smeltzer and Megan Vylonis.
With all other Bucks-Bobcats matches completed, all eyes were on the final matchup. It Buchanan won, it would take the title outright. A Brandywine victory would make the Bobcats co-champs.
The battle went to three sets with Brandywine racing to a 5-2 lead in the third. Buchanan tied the set a five apiece before Cooper and Schlutt put it away, winning 7-5.
Amy Konopinski won the final at No. 3 singles for Brandywine, beating Buchanan's Chelsea Ghatoaura 6-1, 6-4. Her victory avenged a loss to Ghatoaura when the teams played on Sept. 22.
At No. 4 singles, Valentine beat Edwardsburg's Stacey Miller 6-2, 6-2.
Buchanan's team of Lizzy Thorton and Tracy Brelowski beat Brandywine's Bethany Daniel and Christine Dvorak at No. 1 doubles.
Kristin Peters and Lisa Konopinski won at No. 3 doubles for Brandywine to remain undefeated this season. They beat Buchanan's team of Nicole Moyer and Hannah Flood.
At No. 4 doubles, Buchanan's Leslie Niemer and Robyn Bahr beat the Bobcats' Ashley Valentine and Jamie Bartuska.