The Carmel girls tennis team reached a milestone on Wednesday while winning another regional championship.
The No. 1-ranked Greyhounds beat Northwestern 5-0 for the Kokomo regional title. The victory marks the 13th consecutive regional championship for Carmel, which ties the record for most consecutive regionals. Park Tudor won 13 in a row between 1998 and 2010. The regional win is Carmel’s 19th overall.
The ‘Hounds won all five matches in straight sets, including a 6-0, 6-0 win for Sydney Morris at No. 2 singles. Franny Werner won a tiebreak in the second set 7-2 to clinch the 5-0 victory.
Carmel is now 14-1 for the season, and will play No. 7-ranked Munster for the semi-state title at Culver Academies on Saturday.
Carmel 5, Northwestern 0
No. 1 singles: Lauren Lemonds def. Layden 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 singles: Sydney Morris def. Miller 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 singles: Franny Werner def. Mercer 6-1, 7-6 (2)
No. 1 doubles: Grace Marchese and Emma Brune def. Vas and Merrell 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 doubles: Leila Antony and Apurva Manas def. Jones and Bostic 6-0, 6-1
Over at North Central’s Barbara Wynne Tennis Center, No. 8-ranked Hamilton Southeastern gave No. 2 Cathedral a battle before the Irish won 4-1 to claim the regional plaque.
The Royals got their win at No. 3 singles, where freshman Tea Vrkic won easily, 6-3, 6-0. Southeastern’s No. 2 doubles team of Jillian Pence and Nikki Hite won the first set 6-3, but Cathedral took the second set 6-4 and rode the momentum to a 6-1 third set victory.
“Overall, I thought we played well,” said HSE coach Kirk Webber. “We knew they’re obviously one of the best teams in the state and we just tried to make it as hard as possible for them. I thought we did a good job of that, make them work for everything. It was great to see Tea get a win at 3 singles. She played a great match. Even Audrey (De Witt) at 1 (singles) had a great battle with Maeve (Koscielski).”
De Witt finished her season 22-3 at No. 1 singles, with No. 2 singles Ashley Spirrison compiling a 20-3 record. Spirrison and Pence were seniors for HSE.
“Both girls are tremendous role models and excellent student-athletes,” said Webber. “We will definitely miss these two outstanding players next year. Congratulations on great tennis careers at HSE!”
The Royals finished their season 15-5, with wins in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference and the Mudsock, plus a fifth straight sectional title.
Southeastern 4, Cathedral 1
No. 1 singles: Audrey De Witt lost to M. Koscielski 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 singles: Ashley Spirrison lost to Pitman 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 singles: Tea Vrkic def. Spau 6-3, 6-0
No. 1 doubles: Jeorgia Templin and Taylor Cleary lost to C. Koscielski and Coleman 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 doubles: Jillian Pence and Nikki Hite lost to Montefalco and Kronberger 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Hamilton Southeastern’s Tea Vrkic won at No. 3 singles for the Royals during the regional championship match at North Central on Wednesday. (Richie Hall)