Columbus North captured the girls tennis sectional title Friday at North. Team members include, from left, head coach Kendal Hammel, Molly Richards, Nino Akhalaya, Grace Conner, Lizzie Bodart, Aya Saad, Annabelle Sun, Lucy Bergman, Ayane Umemura and assistant coach Aubrey Smith.
Ted Schultz | The Republic
An already heavily-favored Columbus North team took a 1-0 lead before Friday’s girls tennis sectional final even started.
With only five available players, Edinburgh had to forfeit the No. 2 doubles match. The 18th-ranked Bull Dogs then won the other four matches without dropping a single game in posting a 5-0 victory.
“The competition (in the sectional) is not to the level that we’ve been playing at, but the girls did what they were supposed to do,” North coach Kendal Hammel said. “They went out there and did what they needed to do. They still have to play every match. We’re just pleased that they all put the effort in, and they were very good in their attitudes out there on the courts.”
Aya Saad beat Gracie Lawson at No. 1 singles, Lucy Bergman topped Bella Turner at No. 2 singles and Ayane Umemura blanked Sophia Pace at No. 3 singles, all by 6-0, 6-0 scores for the Bull Dogs (14-6).
“I think we did a good job keeping a good attitude,” Saad said. “We just got the job done. We weren’t lazy or anything like we were expected to win.”
North’s Annabelle Sun and Nino Alhalaya defeated Kinzie Purvis and Tyler Durbin 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles. Grace Conner and Lizzie Bodart won by forfeit at No. 2 doubles.
“I think overall, me and Nina at 1 doubles played really well in terms of hitting the ball and our serves, especially today with a little bit of wind,” Sun said.
The Lancers finish the season 2-14. They had avenged one of their regular-season losses Thursday with a 3-2 semifinal win against Columbus East.
“All the girls were pretty happy about that,” Edinburgh coach Rachel O’Brien said. “It was a team win. (Friday), they gave it their all. Columbus North is always really good.”
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