By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The Carmel girls tennis team is back in the regional winner’s circle.
After being separated from the crown last year, the No. 3-ranked Greyhounds reclaimed the regional championship at their own Todd Witsken Tennis Center on Wednesday. Carmel had to battle for it, winning a tough match 3-2 over No. 4-ranked Park Tudor.
The meet came down to No. 2 singles, where the Greyhounds’ Alexia Widjaja overcame the Panthers’ Marissa Benge in three sets. Widjaja won the first set 7-5 and dropped the second set 6-4, but ran away with the third set 6-1.
Carmel’s No. 1 doubles team of Madison Littell and Gabby Hall were all smiles after winning their match 6-0, 6-2. (Richie Hall)
“I knew it was going to be a battle,” said Widjaja. I’ve been playing her since middle school, so I knew it was going to be a fight. It’s been back and forth, so I knew I just had to bring my ‘A’ game today.”
After splitting the first two sets, Widjaja said she talked with her coaches and “they calmed me down, they talked to me, and I just regrouped. I just thought, we’re starting from zero, so nothing to lose.”
“She was able to go in there, completely shut it off, reset her gears and get ready for that third set,” said first-year Carmel coach Kiersten Carlson. “And she was ready to battle out there, and that’s exactly what she was coming in ready to do, and that’s exactly what she did.”
Carmel had already gotten easy wins from both of its doubles teams. No. 1 Madison Littell and Gabby Hall won 6-2, 6-0, while No. 2 Brylie Price and Shravya Pillutla were 6-0, 6-2 winners. The Panthers won at Nos. 1 and 3 singles.
Throughout the entire match, there was loud cheering, especially from the Carmel side: “When I say ‘Grey,’ you say ‘Hounds!’ was a common chant. That was something Carlson, a 2018 Carmel graduate and tennis star, loved to hear.
“To me, it’s the most important thing,” said Carlson. “When I was playing, that is something my team had every year that I was playing, and I feel like that’s how we won state every year. We genuinely had best friends on the team. When you’re cheering for your best friend next to you, you’re giving it all you got.”
Carmel had been on an 18-year regional title streak until the Greyhounds were stopped by Brebeuf Jesuit last year in the Lebanon regional championship. By regaining the regional title this year, the Greyhounds claimed their 25th championship in program history.
“This team this year, it’s amazing,” said Widjaja. “And Kiersten brings so much good energy. I love my teammates so much for cheering on me, and that really helped me boost my confidence during tough points.”
Carmel has already beaten three ranked teams just to win the regional. The Hounds defeated No. 13 Zionsville and No. 1 Guerin Catholic to win the sectional. Park Tudor had beaten No. 2 Brebeuf Jesuit to win its own sectional, so Carmel is now the highest-ranked team left in the post-season.
The Greyhounds will travel north on Saturday to play No. 12 South Bend St. Joseph for the Culver Academies 1 semi-state championship. The winner advances to next weekend’s state finals at North Central’s Barbara Wynne Tennis Center.
Buttrick falls to Wendowski
While the team regional was going on, University senior Laurel Buttrick was competing in the individual sectional. Buttrick fell to Brebeuf’s Chloe Wendowski 6-0, 6-0.
Buttrick finished her senior season 19-5. She will attend Grinnell College in Iowa this fall and play tennis there.
University’s Laurel Buttrick competed in the individual sectional at Carmel. (Richie Hall)
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