Central's Delp sisters lose in second round
10/24/2009PLAIN CITY, Ohio — For the first time this season, Central Catholic's Morgan and Sydney Delp tasted defeat. The first time came at the worst time — in the Division I girls state tennis tournament.
Friday at the Elysium Tennis Center, the Delp sisters fell 6-4, 6-4 in the second round to the Dublin Jerome duo of Kathryn Farrar and Kelly Doren. The first two rounds of the tournament were moved from Ohio State to theindoors site because of inclement weather.
No area singles player or doubles teams advanced to today's semifinals.
After each going undefeated in singles play this year, the Delps advanced to the second round of the state tournament in doubles play for the second consecutive time.
“Last year we went beyond our expectations,” said Sydney Delp, a sophomore. “This year we really wanted to make it to Saturday. “
Said Morgan, a junior: “We're more disappointed this year.”
The Delps trailed most of the first set. In the second set they held the lead until late.
“We couldn't break serve when we needed to and couldn't hold when we needed to,” Central Catholic coach Lisa Bialorucki said. “It was a matter of a few points here and there. The other team played more aggressive on the important points, which ultimately was the difference.”
In their first-round match, the Delps struggled a bit early before defeating North Canton Hoover's team of Kaitlin Kennelly and Lauren Rife 1-6, 6-1, 6-1.
“Once we settled in and got a few balls in play, we were the better team,” Bialorucki said.
The area's other representative in D-I doubles, Southview's Genna Haider and Anjali Naik, lost to Mount Notre Dame, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round.
“You hope to play well and have a few things go your way,” Southview coach Jay Wiseman said. “Today we didn't play quite as well as we wanted.”
In the first round of D-I singles, Notre Dame junior Megan McNamara fell 6-2, 6-1, to Massillon Jackson's Trisha Conlan. Also, Perrysburg sophomore April Weaver lost 6-2, 6-4 to Christine Coffman of Akron Firestone. Both McNamara and Weaver competed at state for the first time.
“I need to work on calling more balls out and sticking up for myself,” Weaver said. “The competition's really good here and it's just a good experience.”
In Division II singles, Oak Harbor freshman Ashley LaFountain won her first-round match over Wheelersburg's Courtney Pierron, 6-3, 6-1. LaFountain lost in the second round to Kelsey Matthews of Cincinnati Indian Hill, 6-1, 6-1.
“It was really exciting, being a freshman and being able to be here,” LaFountain said. “I was just hoping to win one or two matches.”
“She plays a lot of tournaments, so she has a little more experience than most freshmen,” said Rick LaFountain, Ashley's coach and father. “Hopefully she'll get another chance to come back down here and try it again.”
Also in D-II singles,Ottawa Hills sophomore Drew Fillis, lost to Lauren Thai of Hilliard Bradley 6-3, 6-1 in the first round. It was Fillis' second straight appearance at state.
In D-II doubles first-round action, sisters Arohi and Shivani Bhatt of Ottawa Hills lost 7-5, 6-1 to the Gates Mills Hawken team of Taylor Johnson and Surya Khadilkar.
Port Clinton juniors Chelsea Beck and Aubrey Gillman won their first round match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Sydney Wilson and Jenna Cobb of Washington Courthouse Miami Trace.
But Beck and Gillman fell 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the second round to Nicci Dresen and Mollie Buerschen of Dayton Chaminade-Julienne.
Napoleon's Mackenzie Eickhoff and Alayna Schlade lost 6-0, 6-0 to Bexley's Maddie Morton and Corinne Rauck.
“They never let up,” Napoleon coach Mike Burke said of Bexley. “They honestly overwhelmed us.”