HOPE — Hauser’s No. 2 doubles team of Aunaka Wasil and Brooke Hopkins claimed a title at their position in Saturday’s Mid-Hoosier Conference girls tennis championships at Hauser.
Despite running into trouble in the second set in the finals, Wasil and Hopkins bounced back to win the third set and match 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 over Waldron’s Nichole Garner and Megan Bogemann.
“It’s feels really good to win, especially since it’s our first year playing varsity,” Wasil said. “It’s really good to win this. Getting that last point felt so good.”
Hopkins agreed.
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“It was nice,” Hopkins said. “We were working so hard and having to play for so long, and finally getting that final point, it felt so rewarding. It was like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders.”
Another close championship match happened at No. 1 doubles. Hauser’s Carly Archer and Maddy Archer dropped the first set 6-2 against Waldron’s McKenzie Shaw and Amanda Brinson, but bounced back in the second set to win 7-5. In third set, Shaw and Brinson prevailed 7-6 (4).
“My No. 2 doubles having been doing well all year, and I was expecting them to win, but it went a bit longer than I thought, but I’m glad they were able to come through because they have been playing well all year,” Hauser coach Molly Crabtree said. “I was proud of (No. 1 doubles). Just to be on varsity this year and being able to be a good team, they’ve done really well.”
At No. 1 singles, the Jets’ Abby Johnson fell in the semifinals to Morristown’s Kenzie Logan 6-2, 6-2. At No. 2 singles, Hauser’s Melanie Taylor lost to Southwestern (Shelby)’s Abby Sweet 6-1, 2-6, (10-6). At No. 3 singles, Hauser’s Andie Clark fell in the opening round to Waldron’s Lilly Sizemore 6-3, 6-2.
For Edinburgh, Haley Jones lost in the opening round to Waldron’s Caroline Sheaffer 6-4, 6-0 at No. 1 singles. At No. 2 singles, Annelise Lollar fell to Morristown’s Emma Theobald in the semifinals 6-2, 6-0. At No. 3 singles, Sophia Parmer lost in the championship to Southwestern’s Hailey Bowman 6-1, 6-0.
At No. 1 doubles, the Lancers’ Haven Link and Emily Chappelow fell in the semifinals to Brinson and Shaw 6-2, 6-0. At No. 2 doubles, Katie Roberts and Bethany Burton lost to Garner and Bogemann in the semifinals 5-7, 7-5, (10-7).
In the other championship matches, Logan edged out Southwestern’s Jenna Kuntz 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. At No. 2 singles, Sweet prevailed over Theobald 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
The sectional draw is set for Monday, and matches will be played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Hauser and Edinburgh are in the Columbus East sectional, along with the host Olympians, Columbus North and Brown County.
“It’ll look good for us if we can get the right draw, but we’ll see what happens once we get there,” Crabtree said.
