By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Dowagiac's Lisa Rubino helped the Junior USTA Tennis Team from St. Joseph finish second at the National Championships in Tucson, Ariz. this past weekend at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort.
Hunting Park of the Mid-Atlantic Section, was the champion with 145 games won. St. Joseph, out of the Midwest Section, finished second with 132 games won.
South Carolina was third with 119 games won, while Sugar Creek out of Texas and Reilly's Dutch out of the Eastern Section were fourth and fifth respectively with 98 and 68 games won.
St. Joseph advanced to the national tournament by winning the intermediate bracket at the 2006 18-And-Under Junior Tennis Team Championships held in Indianapolis, Ind.
St. Joseph defeated South Carolina 3-2, Reilly's Dutch 5-0 and Sugar Creek 4-1. St. Joseph was defeated by Hunting Park, 2-3.
Rubino went 1-2 in singles competition and 2-3 in mixed doubles matches.
Rubino defeated Elizabeth A. Schaeffer 4-1 and 4-0, while she lost to Maureen Slatterly (4-3, 4-3) and to Simone M. Berger (3-4, 4-3, 1-0).
She teamed with Andy Krisman to defeated Jonathan D. Ellenbogen and Meera R. Chappidi, 4-1 and 4-1. Rubino and Krisman also defeated Aaron Brownell and Melissa Diskin, 4-1, 3-4 and 4-1.
The pair lost to Madison Kocher and Christopher Michael Harvey (4-2, 4-0), to Jennifer Wooland and William J. Hicki (4-1, 4-2) and to Simone Berger and Michael J. Kopelman (4-2, 4-1).
St. Joseph won 56 percents of its games and was 3-1 overall as a team.
The squad also was 14-6 in individual matches, while it won 28 sets and lost 16.
Playing for St. Joseph in the national tournament were Rubino, Adam M. Waite, Krisman, Cathy Cline, Hunter Allen Ellis, Michael Sendor and Raelyn Althoff. Pat Hoffman coached the team.
Rubino received the sportsmanship award at the tournament.