WOMEN'S TENNIS: Lady Apaches earn national tourney bid
By Dave Msseemmaa
Associate Editor T
he Lady Apaches have gotten used to winning. So when it was time for regionals on Oct. 13 and 14, it’s no surprise that the team did a lot of just that - winning.
The first-place title came down to the last match on the second day of play. IVCC was tied for first with McHenry County and the No. 3 doubles team of Mandy Morse and Amanda Pavy were the last team left to play. Morse and Pavy won the match 6-3 (2-6) 6-2, securing first place in Region IV.
By winning the regional at College of DuPage and Glenbard South High School in the western suburb of Glen Ellyn, the Lady Apaches (13-1, 8-0) have advanced to nationals, held May 1-5, 2001 in Tucson Arizona.
“Being on top of our region and getting to go play the best in the country is the most exciting part of getting to nationals,” said Pavy.No. 6 singles player.
Heidi Hewitt agreed: “We proved that we’re the best in the region. (It’ll be exciting) just to play down there.”
Sophomore participants in the regional awarded IVCC’s No. 5 singles player Missy Poulakos the sportsmanship award. Lady Apache coach Steve Crick was given the Coach of the Year award.
The road to the top of region IV was fairly smooth for the Lady Apaches. After losing their first meet against St. Francis, the team won the remaining 12 meets.
“College of DuPage and McHenry were probably the toughest,” said Hewitt.
The Lady Apaches blanked Waubonsee, Sauk Valley, Kishwaukee, Lake County, and previously reigning region IV champion Rock Valley 9-0. All five of those matches occurred between Sept. 11 and 18.
Sarah Smith at No. 4 singles was the only IVCC netter to go undefeated. Lindsey Hammers at No. 2 singles did not lose during the season, but lost a match at regionals, making her the runner up in the region. The other runner up in singles was Nicole Frkol at No. 3.
Winning their brackets at regionals were Grabowski, Smith, Poulakos, and Hewitt.
All of the doubles teams played well, said Pavy. Grabowski and Hammers played at No. 1 and Frkol and Theresa Marynus played at No. 2. Pavy added that her duo with Morse had greatly improved since the season began.
“It took a little getting used to playing with each other,” said Pavy. “We improved a lot once we learned what each others’ talents were.”
Hewitt said Smith at No. 4 singles also improved: “She started out really good, but she got better and better.”
Hewitt added that Poulakos at No. 5 singles improved a lot by hitting the ball harder and she at No. 6 improved by approaching the net more often.