Wells Tennis Impresses at NEAC individual tournament
Clarks Summit, PA (4/27/12) – After the NEAC championship match, top ranked players were invited to compete for all-conference titles on Friday at Birchwood Tennis Club.
Action began at 8:00am with doubles play; where the Express went on to earn two of three first place awards. Taguchi and Ellis fought past LeGendre and Avramidis of P.S. Harrisburg (8-6) to play Mockus and Ulitsky of P.S. Abington in the final. The first ranked duo got off to an early lead and ended strong with an 8-5 victory winning the title for 1st doubles. At 2nd doubles, Copfer and Vanno fell in the first round against Abraham and Hetzel of P.S. Abington (5-8). They next competed against Simpkins and Stetler of P.S. Harrisburg for third team all-conference, where they fought to an 8-5 victory. The team of Shimazaki and Pietruch went un-challenged at 3rd doubles by posting 8-2, 8-2 victories over Penn State Harrisburg and Abington winning first team all-conference.
Singles play followed the completion of doubles where Wells had competitors in slots one through five. Marie Shimazaki earned first player all-conference at 5th singles by defeating Ochester (P.S.A.) 6-0, 6-2 and Stetler (P.S.H.) 6-3, 6-0. Vanno won a tough battle in the first round at 4th singles defeating Phillps (P.S.A.) 6-2, 2-6, 13-11, before falling to Kehm (P.S.B) 6-1, 6-0 in the final placing second all-conference. Caitlyn Copfer started action at 3rd singles by defeating Abraham (P.S.A.) 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 in an entertaining first round match, she went on to face Harris (P.S.B.) and buried her ghosts from the day before by earning a 6-2, 7-6 victory for first player all-conference. Kate Ellis went largely un-challenged at 2nd singles by defeating Avramidis (P.S.H.) 6-0, 6-3 and Scott (L.B.C.) 6-0, 6-0, with the win she remained the only undefeated singles player in the NEAC and won first place all-conference. At 1st singles, Chika Taguchi lost a close first round match to LeGendre (P.S.H.) 7-5, 3-6, 7-10, in the third place consolation match she made quick work of Mockus (P.S.A.) by a score of 6-2, 6-1 to notch a victory over every number one player in the NEAC regular season.
In total, Wells earned five of nine first place all conference awards, one second place and two third place all-conference awards. Every one of the Express's players earned a NEAC all conference award and in total, Wells earned the most awards in the NEAC individual tournament.