STATE TENNIS: Central's Delp sisters bow out
10/23/2010COLUMBUS — The first day of the state tennis tournament at Ohio State's Stickney Center wasn't without drama for local players, as three individuals and one doubles team were involved in three-set matches.
What was missing were second-round victories, as no one from the area advanced to Saturday's final four in either Division I or Division II singles or doubles.
Coming the closest to surviving Friday's competition was the Division I doubles team of senior Morgan Delp and junior Sydney Delp from Central Catholic.
The sister combo, who spent most of the regular season as singles players but entered the state tournament at 10-0 as a doubles team, rallied to beat Columbus Bishop Watterson's Olivia Ott and Courtney Brown 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 in their opener.
“I thought we were able to stick to the plan pretty well in that match,” said Sydney Delp, who along with her sister also was eliminated in the second round at state last year. “That was a really good match to pull through. It was kind of a wakeup call for us.”
The Delp sisters couldn't make it two in a row, however, as they fell to Chagrin Falls Kenston's Victoria Marchant and Mandy Marchant 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the second round.
It was just the third loss this season for Morgan Delp and only the second for Sydney Delp.
“We were undefeated in doubles together [before the state tournament],” Morgan Delp said. “I just thought we had good chemistry and fun together.”
Both of Port Clinton's doubles teams lost in the second round.
The team of senior Chelsea Beck and junior Aubrey Gillman, who also were second-round losers last year, beat Gahanna Columbus Academy's Neha Patel and Parul Reddy in the first round 6-3, 6-4 but fell to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy's Kassie Faugno and Dominique Baxter 6-2, 6-2 in their second match.
The team of seniors Samantha Griffin and Rachel Szabo won their first match 6-2, 6-0 over Washington Court House Miami Trace's Haley Hagler and Hannah Garringer but fell to Gates Mills Hawken's Taylor Johnson and Surya Khadilkar 6-1, 6-1 in the second round. Beck and Gillman were making their fourth state appearance together.
“They both did a terrific job in their first matches, and both just ran into buzz saws in the second round,” coach Jim Greer said. “They all four had great seasons.”
In the first round of Division I singles, Perrysburg junior April Weaver lost to Clayton Northmont's Marianne Bonanno 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, and Northview freshman Megan Miller fell to Kings Mills Kings' Amina Ismail 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Southview's team of junior Genna Haidar and senior Neha Vyas lost to Dublin Jerome's Lydia Utkin and Genna Haidar 6-1, 6-4 in Division I doubles.
In Division II singles, Oak Harbor sophomore Ashley LaFountain fell to Portsmouth's Mollie Miller 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, and Ottawa Hills junior Drew Fillis lost to Columbus Bishop Hartley's Rachael Morales 6-4, 6-4.
It marked the third consecutive season that Fillis lost her opening state match.
“I thought I played really well,” said LaFountain, who lost in the second round at state last year. “I started slow but then played better in the second set. Then I got a blister on my foot in the third set.”