Williamston Tennis

The Williamston Hornets girls’ tennis team hosted the Chesaning netters on Wednesday, April 29, 3009. The Lady Hornets swept the match with a convincing 8-0 victory. The Chesaning team is one of the schools that will be competing in the MHSAA regional tournament on May 15. “We wanted to play Chesaning so we would have an idea of how we stacked up against those schools that Chesaning plays that we don’t. The fact that we defeated Chesaning and they have victories over Ovid-Elsie and Ithaca gives us a pretty good feeling going into the Regional competition,” said Steve Stanley, Williamston’s coach.

All eight flights notched victories and extended the team to an 8-0 dual match record. The line up was Tiffany Ash, Claire Cooper, Gabby Meijer and Erica Krantz in one through four singles. The Williamston doubles teams were Anya Nikolai-Mattie Nelson, Erin Donovan-Audrey Porter, Erin Graham-Aubree Barton and Cara Steinberg-Leah Vargovich.

Congratulations, ladies, for being ranked #4 in Division 4!

The Williamston Hornet girls’ tennis team took a big step toward defending their CAAC White Division title by defeating the Portland tennis team on Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 7-1. “Our girls played a very solid match today,” said varsity coach Steve Stanley. “Portland is always tough, but today our players handled this well coached team very well.”

“They played both back at the baseline and lobbed us almost every time in the second set,” said Cara Steinberg. “We weren’t very patient at first but after we settled down we were fine,” she said. She and Leah Vargovich won their four doubles flight 6-0, 6-4.

“I worked on moving my opponent around the court,” said number two singles players Claire Cooper. “She was athletic but my strategy worked pretty well,” she said. Claire won her match 6-2, 6-0. Also winning for the Hornets were Tiffany Ash at one singles 6-1, 6-0; Gabby Meijer at number three singles, 6-1, 6-1. The Hornets swept the doubles with Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson at one, 6-3, 6-1, Erin Donovan and Audrey Porter at number two, 6-1, 6-1 and Aubree Barton and Erin Graham, also 6-1, 6-1. Erica Krantz lost at number four singles 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

The Hornets improved their record to 7-0, 3-0 in CAAC play. Portland is 4-1-1.

The Williamston Lady Hornets hosted CACC White Division rival, Lakewood on Monday, April 27, 2009. The Hornets came away with a rain shortened 6-1 win. The Hornets won the first three single flights with Tiffany Ash winning at number one 6-0, 6-0, Claire Cooper winning at number two, 6-1, 6-0, and Gabby Meijer at number three 6-1, 6-1. Erica Krantz lost a four singles, 6-3, 6-3. The Hornets won the three doubles flights that finished before the rains came. Aubree Barton and Erin Graham finished first at three doubles, 6-1, 6-1. Cara Steinberg and Leah Vargovich got down in the first set 1-4 before turning the match around and winning the first set 6-4, and the second 6-1. Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson struggled a bit against the Lakewood number one doubles team who lobbed often and challenged Anya and Mattie to place their shots. It took a while for them to find the right targets but they figured it out and won 6-3, 6-2. Audrey Porter and Erin Donovan won their first set 6-3, but the rain ended play before they could finish their second set so their flight becomes an incomplete and will not be finished because the match ended with the Williamston team winning at least five flights and recording the team victory.

The Hornets stretched their season record to a perfect 6-0 dual match record and 2-0 in the CAAC White Division.

The Williamston girls’ tennis team traveled south to compete against three other top ten ranked teams in division four. Three private schools, Ann Arbor Greenhills (ranked second in the state); Ann Arbor Gabriel Richards, ranked seventh; Jackson Lumen Christi, ranked eighth and the Hornets who entered the tournament in the fourth spot. The results reflected the coaches’ rankings as Greenhills won their invitational with 19 points, Williamston came in second with 13 points, Gabriel Richards and Jackson Lumen Christi tied for third with 7 points each.

The Gryphons from Ann Arbor Greenhills won all four singles flights. The Hornets won at 1, 2, and 3 doubles flights. Those flights were won by the currently undefeated duo (11-0) of Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson at number one singles. Erin Donovan and Audrey Porter at number two doubles; and Aubree Barton and Erin Graham at number three doubles. Taking second for the Hornets at the invitational was Claire Cooper hitting at number two singles. Placing third for the Hornets was Tiffany Ash at one singles and Leah Vargovich and Annie McGoff who was substituting for Cara Steinberg at number four doubles.

The Williamston Hornets girls’ tennis team traveled to CAAC White Division rival Lansing Catholic for the first league match of the 2009 season. The Hornets returned with a solid 7-1 victory. The Hornets won all four doubles flights and three of four singles.

The number one doubles team of Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson had their first hiccup of the year going three sets before sealing the victory, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. “We starting missing all of our shots in the second set,” said Anya. “I guess it is okay as we need some experience in coming from behind to win matches. We changed our strategy in the third set and that seemed to get our opponents out of their rhythm and helped us win it.”

Number two doubles, Erin Donovan and Audrey Porter had an easier time winning 6-0, 6-1. Number three doubles, Erin Graham and Aubree Barton won 6-0, 6-3, and Cara Steinberg and Leah Vargovich chipped in a win at four doubles, 6-2, 6-2.

Tiffany Ash continued on her roll with a solid 6-0, 6-3 win at one singles. Claire Cooper won at two singles 6-2, 6-2. Gabby Meijer contributed a convincing win at three singles 6-4, 6-0. Erica Krantz lost at four singles 6-1, 6-0.

The win improved the Hornets record to 5-0 and 1-0 in the CAAC.

The Williamston Hornet girls’ tennis team hosted the Trojans from East Lansing in a battle of top ten ranked teams. East Lansing came into the match ranked 8th in the MHSAA division 2, and the Hornets were ranked 4th in division 4. For the first time in school history a Williamston tennis team defeated East Lansing as the Hornets came away with a 5-3 victory. “It feels great,” said Coach Steve Stanley, “We lived and my son graduated from East Lansing before we moved to Williamston so I understand the tradition East Lansing tennis represents. To have our girls prevail over a very well coached Trojan team is very gratifying,” he concluded. Lisa Semerly, the Trojan varsity coach smiled as she commented, “They lose six players from the year before and find six more just as good. I don’t know how they do it.”

The Hornets had won at three doubles with Aubree Barton and Erin Graham defeating Anna Rittenhouse and Teresa Vasievich 6-1, 6-2; at four doubles with Cara Steinberg and Leah Vargovich defeating Anaite Castanada and Shireen Mahdavi 6-4, 6-4; and at number one doubles with Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson defeating Emily Bruening and Natalie Bruening, 6-3, 7-5. In singles Claire Cooper had defeated Carynne Lloyd, 6-2, 6-2. East Lansing had prevailed at three singles with Marissa Messenger defeating Gabby Meijer, 6-1, 6-4; and at four singles with Emma Astley defeating Erica Krantz 6-4, 6-3. East Lansing had also won at two doubles with Taylor Crawford and Riki Petroni defeating Erin Donovan and Audrey Porter 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (ret. inj.).

That left Williamston with 4 flight wins and East Lansing with 3. The focus shifted to number one singles where Tiffany Ash from Williamston was battling Christy Marx. Most of the games had gone to deuce several times as Tiffany won the first set 6-2. Under very windy conditions the two number ones battled for every point. Tiffany pulled ahead 4-3 and then held serve to move the second set to 5-3. After a very long rally filled game, Tiffany sealed the victory with a 6-3 win.

“It was really hard to stay focused today because of the wind,” said Tiffany. “Christy played well but I was really happy to help the team win an important match.”

The Williamston Hornets girls’ tennis team traveled to the courts of Lansing Catholic to participate in the seven team Cougar Classic tennis invitational on Saturday, April 18, 2009. The seven teams included sixth ranked Jackson Lumen Christi, tenth ranked Almont and the fourth ranked Hornets. The very competitive tournament ended with the Hornets winning with 17 points, Saginaw Nouvel second with 15, Almont with 13, Jackson Lumen Christi with 12, the host school, Lansing Catholic with 7, Battle Creek Pennfield with 6 and Hastings closing out the field with 3 points.

“It was a very exciting day,” said Ilona Steinberg, mother of Cara who plays four doubles for the Hornets, “I could hardly stand it. Every point was contested and so many games went to deuce. I was so happy that Cara and Leah (Vargovich) were able to win the championship and contribute to the success of the team,” she concluded.

Also winning championships in their flights were Tiffany Ash at number one singles, and Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson at number one doubles. Taking second for the Hornets were Gabby Meijer at number three singles, and Audrey Porter and Erin Donovan at number two doubles.

Placing third for the Hornets were Claire Cooper at number two singles and Erica Krantz at number four singles. Taking fifth place were Erin Graham and Aubree Barton at number three doubles.

“This was a great test for our girls. There weren’t any easy opponents today. Our players had to earn every point, game and match to secure the championship,” said varsity coach Steve Stanley. “We have more work to do for sure, but these ladies really showed me they have the desire to compete and the willingness to commit to developing their tennis skills,” he said.

The postponed Lakewood match is scheduled for Monday, April 27. Both varsity and JV will be home for the matches.

Little shorthanded this match with our #1 singles Gilly Cobb helping
varsity, and #2 singles Annie McGoff doing her college visit.

Still it was a very fun and close match.

Results:
1 Singles – Ali Wallace won 6-2, 6-1
2 Singles – Bri O’Toole lost 6-1, 6-1
3 Singles – Caroline Lupini lost 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
4 Singles – Ruby Smith lost 7-5, 6-1

1st Doubles-
A. Wilson-Daeschlein/ A. Krantz won 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
2nd Doubles-
K. Ellsworth/ C. Geyer won 7-6 (3), 7-5
3rd Doubles-
C. Donohoe/ M. Hoffman lost 7-5, 1-6, 7-5
4th Doubles-
C. Risch/ A. Paruk lost 6-1, 7-5

Overall we lost 3-5.

1. If we had our full singles line up we definitely would have taken this.
2. The doubles were all flustered in the beginning due to the agressive
style of Fowlerville’s doubles teams, as they calmed down they started to
play smart and really showed great improvement from 1st set to 2nd set.
3. Fowlerville girls commented how intimidated they were walking into our
courts because of all the championship banners!