Tiger Cub tennis falls in sectional final

Monday, May 21, 2007
Greencastle's Kelsey Hennette returns a shot on Northview's Jazmine Kellum in Saturday's sectional final match. Hennette won the match, 6-1, 6-2, and will be advancing to Wednesday's Center Grove regional along with the number one doubles team of Kayla Birt and Savannah Provine.

BRAZIL -- Although their team lost to Northview in the sectional final, 3-2, the Greencastle number one players will be moving on in the state tennis tournament.

Number one singles Kelsey Hennette defeated the Knights' Jazmine Kellum, 6-1, 6-2. Number one doubles players Kayla Birt and Savannah Provine defeated Nikki Morgan and Chelsea Mershon in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

"It was a great day. We had a tough opponent, and we knew it," GHS coach Trish Lowe said. "I'm proud of the girls and their effort in not giving up."

"I'm especially proud of one doubles and one singles advancing," she added.

Hennette was part of the first match completed on the day. She made quick work of a tough opponent in Kellum. Her straight sets victory gave GHS an early 1-0 lead.

However, the Knights evened the score just a few minutes later when Allie Melega defeated the Tiger Cubs' Rena Warren at number two singles, 6-2, 6-2.

With the match in doubt, the crowd began to gather around the three remaining matches, which were playing out on three adjacent courts.

Northview's Kayla Cooper finished out singles play when she defeated Carol LaFoe, 6-3, 6-4. With Northview up 2-1, the match would come down to the two doubles matches, which both appeared headed for third sets.

But Northview's number two doubles team of Ali Rentschler and Bonnie Froderman had other plans. Having won the first set, 6-0, they found themselves down 5-3 in the second set. They rallied against the Tiger Cubs' Emma Kaiser and Kristen Flint, winning the second set in a tie breaker, 7-6 (7-5). The win clinched the sectional title for Northview.

In Birt and Provine's third set, they knew the team match was decided, but they still had an individual sectional title to play for. They traded a few games with Morgan and Mershon, but turned it on at the end, winning their last three games to take the set and match.

Speaking about her number ones, Lowe could only credit their hard work in getting them where they are.

"They've worked hard and improved. It's a credit to those kids," she said.

Hennette, Birt and Provine will play in the Center Grove regional at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Although her team fell short of a sectional, Lowe was just as proud of the entire team's dedication.

"It was a fun year," she said. "Our nucleus was returning this year -- they worked hard in the winter and did a great job of improving."

At Northview

Sectional Final

Northview 3, Greencastle 2

Singles -- Kelsey Hennette (GHS) def. Jazmine Kellum (N) 6-1, 6-2; Allie Melega (N) def. Rena Warren (GHS) 6-2, 6-2; Kayla Cooper (N) def. Carol Lafoe (GHS) 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles -- Kayla Birt/Savannah Provine (GHS) def. Nikki Morgan/Celsea Mershon (N) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2; Ali Rentschler/Bonnie Froderman (N) def. Emma Kaiser/Kristen Flint (GHS) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).

Next match -- Hennette and the team of Birt and Provine will play in the Center Grove regional at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

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