Licking County girls tennis players test new skills, take new challenges

GRANVILLE — Ella Riley admitted some uneasiness Friday when she and her partner Lily Underhill were on the brink of dropping their tiebreaker.

“It was terrifying,” Riley said.

The juniors, however, kept their emotions in check. Riley and Underhill rallied from 5-2 down to win their No. 1 doubles match against Watkins Memorial and clinch the Granville girls tennis team the Licking County championship.

“We were third doubles last year, so we were pretty far down,” Riley said. “And now, we’re first. It’s a lot, but it’s so fun.”

Underhill added, “We just wanted to do well and get a medal. I didn’t expect to get first. We just wanted to do better than we did last year.”

Granville swept the doubles courts as Riley and Underhill at No. 1, Eliza DeJong and Ava Upton at No. 2 and Addison Laidlaw-Smith and Alexa Todora at No. 3 each went 4-0 in the one-set round-robin. Ava Schlotterbeck, the varsity’s lone senior, at No. 1 singles, Grace Emery at No. 2 and Ela Kendrick at No. 3 each went 3-1 to take runner-up for the Blue Aces, who graduated an incredible 13 seniors last season.

Granville’s 21 points edged Watkins Memorial’s 19. Newark and recent Licking County League addition Mount Vernon tied for third at 7. Zanesville was fifth with 6.

“Our team is really close, and we are all really good friends,” Schlotterbeck said. “We are all really close in ability, so our doubles players are extremely strong. I have no doubt they are going to sweep (most matches). That is our biggest asset.”

Watkins swept the three singles courts. Standout sophomore Nora Grennan dropped just three games in winning at No. 1.

Grennan picked up where she left off from her freshman season, which included a Division I sectional runner-up finish and a victory at the district tournament. She repeated as county champion Friday.

“I have been training a lot all summer, but I haven’t been doing many matches. I was really nervous starting, so I was waiting to see how (practice) applied to the game,” Grennan said. “I really have been working on my closing game, finishing off the points. I have a lot of good setups, but then once I get to the final point, I sometimes make mistakes.”

Watkins junior Kaiya Minier was champion at No. 2 singles, and classmate Payton Zerkle matched her at No. 3 singles.

“This year, we are a lot closer in skill level, so it’s a lot of competition (in practice). It’s good to know you always have that,” Minier said. “I feel a lot more consistent this year. I normally just go straight for it, so I have been playing it out a lot more. I am just really excited because last year wasn’t the best year.”

Newark entered as the reigning county champion, but the Wildcats also were hit hard by graduation losses.

Stepping up from doubles, senior Lydia Sears won two matches at No. 2 singles. The team of sophomore Bella Sherman and freshman Analeigh Roy also won two matches at No. 2 doubles.

“I was nervous, but I knew I was ready for it. I knew if I practiced enough I could get used to it,” Sears said. “I am working on my consistency because I know a lot of singles players hit really hard. I don’t hit too hard, so my mindset is to keep going until they eventually hit a ball out or into the net.”

Schlotterbeck had several long rallies in a 6-2 victory against Zanesville’s Chloe Buchanan to clinch her runner-up spot in her first tournament as the Blue Aces’ lead player.

“I have had to climb to the top, so I am really excited to be playing first singles,” Schlotterbeck said. “I always say I play up better than I play down because I play a lot with my dad. He’s amazing, so I have almost gotten used to really hard balls. I pride myself on having a good forehand and backhand, so even people try to feed my backhand, I love that.”

Mount Vernon junior Scarlett Turner and sophomore Dede Burcham took runner-up at No. 1 doubles. Watkins junior Lidia Sanchez and sophomore Jillian Colegrove took runner-up at No. 2, and Zanesville’s Jazzy Spencer and Kelly Morris matched them at No. 3.

Newark junior Maria Arnold, Granville’s Riley, Watkins’ Grennan, Zanesville’s Buchanan and Mount Vernon senior Addison Cooperider were given each respective team’s sportsmanship award.

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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County girls tennis players test new skills, take new challenges