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2A-6 GIRLS TENNIS TOURNAMENT

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: April 12, 2009

Through its initial 11 matches this spring, two-time defending Class 2A, District 6 champion Brooksville-Nature Coast Technical sputtered.
The Sharks were Sans junior Olivia Williams, who was nursing a rotator cuff injury. They also broke two freshmen into the pivotal No. 2, No. 3 singles positions.
Yet, somehow sixth-year NCT Head Coach Louise Downey guided the squad to eight wins.
But just as important were a pair of agonizing 2A-6 losses to New Port Richey-Gulf and Zephyrhills, 4-3.

St. Paddy's turnaround

Yet on St. Patrick's Day, the Lady Sharks' fortunes turned around.
That's when Williams and her career 31-0 mark in singles mark, returned to the courts from an injury.
Since then NCT has not looked back.
The Columbia Blue and Black Sharks enter the first of two days of the 2A-6 Girls Tennis Tournament Monday at Sunlake High firing on all cylinders.
How crucial was Williams' return?
Consider that the Sharks (15-3 overall) have captured 7-of-7 dual meets and swept the recent fifth annual Hernando County Tennis Tournament.
During the recent hot streak, NCT traveled to Wiregrass Ranch and dropped each of the first three singles matches to the Bulls.
But NCT, buoyed by Williams at No. 4 singles, the Sharks clawed back for huge trophy win, 4-3.
On the eve of the 2A-6 Tourney, Downey was asked who are favorites in the eight-team field featuring single-elimination singles and doubles play.
"To me, its neck-and-neck between us and Wiregrass," said Downey, who is 63-22 lifetime at NCT. "It's so close, when we have our seeding meeting (early Monday morning) I expect either a Nature Coast player or a Wiregrass players to be seeded No. 1 or No. 2 in almost every bracket."
What's the biggest difference between the teams?
"They have a solid 1-2-3 punch in singles," replied Downey. "And we're not bad at 1-2-3 but we're stronger than we've ever been at the bottom and in doubles. To me, the tournament winner is a flip of the coin. It's that close."
Is there a darkhorse?
"The one other team is Zephyrhills," answered Downey, "Their No. 1 is very talented."
How has Downey sold this meet to the Sharks?
"We absolutely can not take anything or anyone for granted," she said. "I've told the girls to get out (ahead) early and immediately put the pressure on (the opponent)."
NCT enters the meet with its top five singles players ranking among the top five in Hernando County: senior Rachel Conter at No. 1 (14-2 overall), freshman Mallorie Pickersgill at No. 2 (15-3), freshman Delanie McCabe at No. 3 (16-2), Williams at No. 4 (6-0), and sophomore Kaitlyn Bugden at No. 5 (14-3).
Overall, Conter and Williams are each seeking their third district titles. Bugden won the district last year at No. 4 singles.
In doubles, Conter/Williams, who reached the 2A State Semifinals last year are 5-0 this year. In one switch, Downey opted to go with Pickersgill/McCabe, who is 4-0 at No. 2, rather than county champion tandem of McCabe/Bugden, who are 8-2.
Why the switch?
"It's nothing against the others, but I think we have something better," described Downey.
She should know. NCT doubles teams this year have captured 89 percent of their matches (32-of-36).

Leopards:

Hernando High enters the 2A-6 meet on the heels of an up and down season.
Unlike last year, when freshman Lindsey McElroy lost in three sets for the district title, she did not return to the fold in 2009.
Neither did Jennifer Gregg, who was a senior in 2008, and captured the No. 5 singles blue ribbon.
This season, HHS is 6-6 overall and finished third in the recent four-team, Hernando County Championship Meet.
The Purple and Gold have captured 44 percent of its singles matches (27-of-62) and an identical 44 percent (11-of-25) doubles matches.
No one has an above. 500 singles mark going into Sunlake except for first-year senior Hannah Spencer at No. 5 at 7-5.
HHS' line-up is expected to feature: junior Ali Steiner at No. 1 (6-6), senior Catherine Erana at No. 2 (3-6), junior Olivia Wagner at No. 3 ((5-7) and sophomore Casey Miller at No. 4 (4-8).
The Lady Leopards' winningest doubles tandem is Steiner/Wagner at No. 1 (6-6).

AT A GLANCE
WHAT – Class 2A, District 6 Girls Tennis Tournament.
WHO – Eight schools expected to participate in a single-elimination format featuring: Brooksville-Hernando, Brooksville-Nature Coast Technical, Dade City-Pasco, Hudson, New Port Richey-Gulf, Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills and host Land O'Lakes-Sunlake.
WHERE – Land O'Lakes-Sunlake High tennis courts.
WHEN – Monday-Tuesday, April 13-14, beginning at 8:30 a.m. (April 15 is makeup date).
AT STAKE – Top two finishing teams earn berths in the Class 2A, Region III quarterfinals at 3 p.m. on April 21.

2008 Class 2A, District 6 Girls Tennis Tournament Results:
1. Nature Coast (NCT) 15, 2. Wiregrass Ranch (WGR) 10, 3. Hernando (HER) 8, 4. Zephyrhills (ZEP) 5, 5. Gulf (GUL) 4, 6. Pasco (PAS) 2, 7. Hudson (HUD), Sunlake (SL) 1.

Singles
No. 1
First round
Rachel Conter (NCT) over Stephanie Little (GUL), 6-0, 6-0.
Ali Steiner (HER) over Vanessa DeMauri (HUD), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Hannah Still (WGR) over Amber Morgenstern (ZEP), 6-0, 6-0.
Kaylee Canalungo (SL) over Mallory Bodine (PAS), 6-2, 6-3.
Second round
Conter (NCT) over Canalungo (SL), 6-0, 6-0.
Still (WGR) over Steiner (HER), 6-0, 6-2.
Final
Conter (NCT) over Still (WGR), 6-1, 6-2.

No. 2
First round
Olivia Williams (NCT) over Ashley Larkin (PAS), 6-0, 6-0.
Amber Fahrner (WGR) over Rachel Lowman (HER), 6-2, 6-2.
Chelsea Smith (ZEP) over Carly Buhr (SL), 6-2, 6-1.
Danielle Bishop (HUD) over Demi Durkin (GUL), 6-2, 6-3.
Second round
Williams (NCT) over Bishop (HUD), 6-3, 6-3.
Fahrner (WGR) over Smith (ZEP), 7-5, 6-0.
Final
Williams (NCT) over Fahrner (WGR) 6-2, 6-3.

No. 3
First round
Katie Stellpflug (NCT) over Ali Tisdale (PAS), 6-3, 6-2.
Lindsey McElroy (HER) over Hallie Bislick (HUD), 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Jade Vaca (WGR) over Kelsey Combs (SL), 6-0, 6-0.
Stacy Trovillion (ZEP) over Tamara Simunovic (GUL), 6-2, 6-0.
Second round
Stellpflug (NCT) over Vaca (WGR), 6-2, 6-2.
McElroy (HER) over Trovillion (ZEP), 6-2, 7-5.
Final
Stellpflug (NCT) over McElroy (HER), 7-5, 4-6, 6-0.

No. 4
First round
Kaitlyn Bugden (NCT) over Caitlyn Ungerer (ZEP), 7-5, 6-4.
Catherine Erana (HER) over Kassie Wills (GUL), 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).
Francheska Pandozi (WGR) over Tara Freibert (HUD), 6-1, 6-1.
Brittany Martinez (PAS) over Haley Levengood (SL), 6-4, 6-1.
Second round
Bugden (NCT) over Erana (HER), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Pandozi (WGR) over Martinez (PAS), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Final
Bugden (NCT) over Pandozi (WGR), 6-4, 6-2.

No.5
First round
Jennifer Gregg (HER) over Maddison Zimmerman (SL), 6-0, 6-3.
Jessica Otero (NCT) over Sarah Hink (PAS), 6-1, 6-2.
Ashley Stephens (WGR) over Janee Arnroux (HUD), 6-1, 6-2.
Christa Goad (GUL) over Rachel Hayter (ZEP), 6-3, 6-2.
Second round
Gregg (HER) over Stephens (WGR), 6-3, 6-4.
Goad (GUL) over Otero (NCT), 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3.
Final
Gregg (HER) over Goad (GUL), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Doubles
No. 1
First round
Conter/Williams (NCT) over Zimmerman/Canalungo (SL), 6-0, 6-0.
Steiner/McElroy (HER) over Bodine/Tisdale (PAS), 6-4, 6-1.
Little/Durkin (GUL) over Morgenstern/Ungerer (ZEP), 6-3, 6-1.
Still/Fahrner (WGR) over DeMauri/Bislick (HUD), 6-3, 6-3.
Second round
Conter/Williams (NCT) over Little/Durkin (GUL),
Still/Fahrner (WGR) over Steiner/McElroy (HER), default.
Final
Conter/Williams (NCT) over Still/Fahrner (WGR), 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

No. 2
First round
Stellpflug/Bugden (NCT) over Freibert/Arnoux (HUD), 6-0, 6-1.
Larkin/Murray (PAS) over Lowman/Emily Cochran (HER), 6-1, 6-1.
Lukish/Naclerio (GUL) over Levengood/Combs (SL), 6-0, 6-3.
Smith/Trovillion (ZEP) over Pandozi/Caldwell (WGR), 6-1, 7-6 (7-1).
Second round
Larkin/Murray (PAS) over Stellpflug/Bugden (NCT), 6-3, 7-5.
Smith/Trovillion (ZEP) over Lukish/Naclerio (GUL), 6-4, 6-2.
Final
Smith/Trovillion (ZEP) over Larkin/Murray (PAS), 6-3, 7-5.

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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