The Edwardsville girls tennis team made the best of a tough situation at the state tennis championships, bowing out of the event with five wins, four coming on Friday.
The state tournament schedule was knocked out of whack Thursday when rains swept across suburban Chicago, forcing officials to cancel play in the consolation bracket. With the back draw canceled, the tournament became a win-or-go-home situation for the Tigers and the rest of the field.
"There was a considerable amount of disappointment among the coaches after the back draw was canceled, but we're not questioning the decision," Edwardsville coach Dave Lipe said. "Everybody just wants to be able to see the kids play."
Edwardsville's Nos. 1 and 2 doubles pairs each won two matches Friday, and Morgan McGinnis opened No. 1 singles play with a win on Thursday to account for the Tigers' 10 points.
The Tigers No. 1 doubles team of Jessica Burns and Tess Severin won a pair of two-set victories before losing 6-2, 6-0 in the third round to Alysa Straub and Alexia Petrovic from Nazareth Academy. Edwardsville's Casey Bonham and Paige Sturley, the No. 2 doubles team won a three-set match and swept a two-set win before losing 6-3, 6-3 to Torrie Graham and Gabbie Riek of Elmhurst York.
McGinnis was knocked out of the tournament on a 6-1, 6-1 loss in the second round against Emma Li of Warrenville South.
"Not having a back draw obviously changes the complexion of the tournament, but it was a good way to cap another excellent season," Lipe said.
The Tigers, who will lose Burns, Severin and Sturley to graduation, won a sectional championship. They were unbeaten in Southwestern Conference duals and tied Belleville West for the SWC overall title.
Belleville West, meanwhile, posted three wins at the state championships. The No. 1 doubles team of Kelcie Comley and Blair Hollenbeck won a second-round match on Friday before losing 6-0, 6-2 in the third round to Alexxis Kiven and Kendall Kirsch of Lincolnshire Stevenson.
"They're the No. 3 seed and they're a freshman and a sophomore, but they're nationally ranked and they play more like a freshman and sophomore in college," West coach Bob Keefe said of Kiven and Kirsch. "Not having the back draw, it was a tough day for players from the south. We were competitive -- we just got beat by better teams."
West's No. 2 doubles team of Anna Bullard and Anna Mernick lost 6-3, 6-3 to Catherine Joss and Molly Wallach of Oak Park Fenwick in a match that was postponed by rain on Thursday. West freshman singles player Kayleigh Thurwalker was eliminated with a 6-0, 6-2 second-round loss to Sajela Harlow of Oswego East.
Savannah Martin of Belleville East, the only other Metro East player to make it to the second day, lost in three sets to Ali Foster of Plainfield Central in a second-round singles match.
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