http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2013/0...8d139988657.txt
QUOTE
Lucky No. 13
Michigan City’s No. 2 doubles team, Claire Hirsch (left) and Kaila Gieser, celebrate after winning the clinching point of Thursday’s La Porte Sectional championship match against Marquette at Kesling Park. Photo by Robb Quinn
City ends Marquette’s season with convincing 5-0 win to claim 13th consecutive sectional title
By Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, May 17, 2013 5:06 PM CDT
LA PORTE — The lineup controversy that dominated discussion on the first day of the La Porte Sectional for girls tennis was a little quieter Thursday.
Michigan City made sure of that.
Any doubt that could have been left about what lineup Marquette should have been allowed to use was put to rest with City’s 5-0 win in the championship match. It was City’s 13th consecutive sectional title and 17th overall since the consolidation.
“I thought their mood before the match was strong,” second-year City coach Don Varda said. “They were confident and in a good place. They had prepared for this.”
Wednesday, the IHSAA had to get involved over a dispute with Marquette’s lineup, which essentially had Nos. 1 and 3 singles inverted. Later, using the IHSAA’s lineup, the Blazers edged out a 3-2 semifinal win, but had no such luck Thursday.
“Of course, I’m not gonna be happy about it,” Marquette coach Jay Adams said. “I still feel that would be our best lineup, but you just never know (if it would have made a difference).
“It is what it is, but I’m not gonna complain and say we lost because of a lineup change.”
The Wolves (13-4) won all five matches in straight sets to advance to next week’s La Porte Regional. In Tuesday’s semifinal, City will take on the winner of the Penn Sectional.
City’s No. 1 singles player, Lenka Zavodska, set the tone for the day in a quick, 6-0, 6-0 win over Marquette’s Kendall Shinn.
No. 3 singles was the next match off the court, where Megan Methner topped Taylor Bowen, 6-3, 6-0. The Wolves’ victory was clinched when the No. 2 doubles team of Kaila Gieser and Claire Hirsch beat Allison Westbrook and Nikki Smith, 6-1, 6-2.
At No. 2 singles, Carol Stuetz was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Abigail Schmidt while the No. 1 doubles team of Dayna Pedzinski and Kristin Palmer completed the sweep with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Grace Connelly and Stephanie Espar.
“I feel great about it,” Varda said. “I feel great for these girls, too. They ran the wind sprints and worked hard and now they get the reward.”
Marquette (10-3) put together a solid season, which including winning the Greater South Shore Conference championship.
“We had a good year,” Adams said. “We came up short of our ultimate goal ... but we’ll keep working hard and get better.”
For City, this is the school’s first team sectional championship since Varda’s crew hoisted the same trophy a year ago.
“(Former coach Norm Bruemmer) started this and got this program set up for success years ago,” Varda said. “I think it’s great. I want MCHS to win sectional titles in every sport.”
Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.
Michigan City’s No. 2 doubles team, Claire Hirsch (left) and Kaila Gieser, celebrate after winning the clinching point of Thursday’s La Porte Sectional championship match against Marquette at Kesling Park. Photo by Robb Quinn
City ends Marquette’s season with convincing 5-0 win to claim 13th consecutive sectional title
By Adam Parkhouse
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, May 17, 2013 5:06 PM CDT
LA PORTE — The lineup controversy that dominated discussion on the first day of the La Porte Sectional for girls tennis was a little quieter Thursday.
Michigan City made sure of that.
Any doubt that could have been left about what lineup Marquette should have been allowed to use was put to rest with City’s 5-0 win in the championship match. It was City’s 13th consecutive sectional title and 17th overall since the consolidation.
“I thought their mood before the match was strong,” second-year City coach Don Varda said. “They were confident and in a good place. They had prepared for this.”
Wednesday, the IHSAA had to get involved over a dispute with Marquette’s lineup, which essentially had Nos. 1 and 3 singles inverted. Later, using the IHSAA’s lineup, the Blazers edged out a 3-2 semifinal win, but had no such luck Thursday.
“Of course, I’m not gonna be happy about it,” Marquette coach Jay Adams said. “I still feel that would be our best lineup, but you just never know (if it would have made a difference).
“It is what it is, but I’m not gonna complain and say we lost because of a lineup change.”
The Wolves (13-4) won all five matches in straight sets to advance to next week’s La Porte Regional. In Tuesday’s semifinal, City will take on the winner of the Penn Sectional.
City’s No. 1 singles player, Lenka Zavodska, set the tone for the day in a quick, 6-0, 6-0 win over Marquette’s Kendall Shinn.
No. 3 singles was the next match off the court, where Megan Methner topped Taylor Bowen, 6-3, 6-0. The Wolves’ victory was clinched when the No. 2 doubles team of Kaila Gieser and Claire Hirsch beat Allison Westbrook and Nikki Smith, 6-1, 6-2.
At No. 2 singles, Carol Stuetz was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Abigail Schmidt while the No. 1 doubles team of Dayna Pedzinski and Kristin Palmer completed the sweep with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Grace Connelly and Stephanie Espar.
“I feel great about it,” Varda said. “I feel great for these girls, too. They ran the wind sprints and worked hard and now they get the reward.”
Marquette (10-3) put together a solid season, which including winning the Greater South Shore Conference championship.
“We had a good year,” Adams said. “We came up short of our ultimate goal ... but we’ll keep working hard and get better.”
For City, this is the school’s first team sectional championship since Varda’s crew hoisted the same trophy a year ago.
“(Former coach Norm Bruemmer) started this and got this program set up for success years ago,” Varda said. “I think it’s great. I want MCHS to win sectional titles in every sport.”
Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.