The temperatures were high and so were the stakes in Thursday’s MHSAA Regional Tournament.
With Seaholm and Marian seen as the clear front runners, the Maples had one goal in mind.
“We wanted to destroy them,” sophomore No.2 doubles player Bella Lleyva said.
Unfortunately, this was not the case; as the Marian Mustangs went on to win the Regional Tournament with 29 points over the Maples 26.
Kaitlyn Miller felt that effort was not an issue despite the team falling short.
“Everybody tried really hard,” senior No.2 doubles player Kaitlyn Miller said. “We don’t like losing to Marian.”
Despite falling three points short of a Regional title, the Maples did advance to the State Finals held on the campus of Michigan State University, and had some notable performances for the team to build on.
Freshman No.1 singles player Nancy Benda won her flight in a convincing fashion, steamrolling senior Justin Ciaravino from Berkeley: 6-1, 6-3.
While Benda may be a freshman, she does not play like one.
When watching Benda competing with a USTA experienced senior, it was hard to tell who was the freshman and who was the senior.
Benda had an answer for every shot Ciaravino threw at her. When Ciaravino came to net, Benda passed her. When Ciaravino hit a big serve, Benda found a way to return it to the backhand side. If Ciaravino tried to mix things up with a drop-shot or a lob, Benda used her strength and power, both pillars of her game, to make Ciaravino pay dearly for any short balls.
“Nancy played well today,” junior No.4 doubles player Katy Shook said. “She’s beating really good players.”
Another flight champion was the Maple’s No.2 doubles team consisting of Miller and Lleyva. The pair delivered a strong performance against Katie Fidelholtz and Katie Dillon from Marian, winning 6-3, 6-4.
Despite only two individual champions, the team had a great deal of finalists.
Senior Katie Frazier made her way to the finals, losing the No.2 singles flight championship 6-1, 6-0 to Bailey Paradiso of Marian.
Paradiso, a sophomore at Marian, was rock solid off both wings. Paradiso, could hit with topspin, throw up a lop; slice her backhand, her variety was impressive. Much like the Maples Benda, her ability transcended her years.
Fellow Senior Ashley Roth also lost in her respective No.3 singles final to Kelly Lunghamer of Marian by a hard fought score of 3-6, 6-4, and 6-2.
Roth looked great during the first yet, exploiting her less powerful opponent by pounding the ball, corner to corner.
However, after Lunghamer won a close second set, it was clear that she had changed her strategy against Roth.
Lunghamer started to play extremely consistent as a way to avoid hard hitting, high-octane points where Roth, would have had the advantage.
Freshman Elian Apaza took the No.4 singles final 6-2, 6-1 over Allyson Foreman of the Maples. Despite taking an early 2-1 lead, Apaza was too much to handle for the sophomore from Maples.
In the No.1 doubles final, sophomores Meghan Dooley and Arielle Williams lost 6-2, 7-5 to the Mustang pair of Catherine Christian and Kristin Lunghamer.
At No.3 doubles, junior Sammy Miller and sophomore Annie Grier lost a tough three-setter 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 to Jessica Fortin and Morgan Asher from Marian.
The No.4 doubles final was won by Marian’s Olivia Underwood and Macy Hudson, defeating Shook and Gunckle 6-4 7-5.
What excited the No.4 doubles team of juniors Katy Shook and Elizabeth Gunckle was what lies ahead in East Lansing.
“It is going to be awesome,” Gunckle said. “States is going to be great.”
Shook echoed Gunckle’s high level of anticipation for States.
“I can’t wait for States.”
The MHSAA Division 2 State Finals Tournament will be held June 4 and 5 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI.
