Bucks headed to state finals
Published 7:11 am Friday, May 20, 2011
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — On a day that started late due to wet courts and went well into the night, Schoolcraft captured the Division 4 Regional Tennis Tournament championship on Thursday.
The Eagles and Buchanan both advanced to the state finals after finishing in the top two spots. Brandywine came up a point short in its bid to reach the 18 points necessary to advance to the finals.
Berrien Springs, which returned to girls’ tennis after more than a decade’s absence, missed advancing by five points, but it’s No. 1 singles player, Arien Kissinger captured the regional championship and will play in the state finals.
The tournament ended nearly 12 and a half hours after it began two hours late due to rain that fell overnight and early Thursday morning.
Buchanan picked up its only regional championship at No. 2 singles where Nash Hughes outlasted Schoolcraft’s Katie Layne in three sets 7-6, 0-6, 7-6.
Brandywine earned a couple of championships, both at doubles.
Lauren Leonard and Kelsey Prestly defeated their opponents from Schoolcraft 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 to claim the top spot at No. 1 doubles.
It was the fourth straight regional title for Leonard.
The Bobcats’ No. 4 doubles team of Alissa Gamble and Taylor Mattiford also defeated an opponent from Schoolcraft.
Gamble and Mattiford won in straight sets, 6-2 and 6-3.
Dowagiac finished with seven points, advancing its No. 1 singles player, Hope Daniel to the semifinals. Daniels, a No. 4 seed, was defeated by eventual champion Kissinger 6-0 and 6-0.
Daniel was 1-1 on the day after earning a first round bye.
Winning first round matches for the Chieftains were Shannon Keene at No. 2 singles, Jessica Martin and Megan Hornburg at No. 1 doubles, Sydney Foote and Erica Greenwood at No. 2 doubles, Madison Proshwitz and Rebecca Luth at No. 3 doubles, as well as Erin Corey and Easton Preston at No. 4 doubles.
Division 4 Tennis Regional
At Leeper Park,
South Bend, Ind.
Team scores
Schoolcraft 28, Buchanan 20, Brandywine 17, Berrien Springs 13, South Haven 9, Lake Michigan Catholic 8, Dowagiac 7, Bridgman 6, Cassopolis 3, Constantine 3, Coloma 2, Eau Claire 1
Flight champions
Singles
1. Arien Kissinger (BS) d. Bethany Blodgett (S) 6-0, 6-0; 2. Nash Hughes (BU) d. Katie Lyane (S) 7-6, 0-6, 7-6; 3. Megan Scott (S) d. Ashley Devereaux (BU) 6-1, 6-3; 4. Autumn Hendricks (S) d. Ally Cornwell (BU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. Lauren Leonard-Kelsey Prestly (BW) d. Dickerson-Northrop (S) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6; 2. Dewolf-Dage (S) d. Ashley DeJonge-Lena Miles (BW) 6-1, 6-1; 3. Simkins-Steinhage (S) d. Jessy Cooper-Gipson (BW) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; 4. Alissa Gamble-Taylor Mattiford (BW) d. Barton-Burton (SC) 6-2, 6-3