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Launching Point: Western girls tennis wins postseason tune-up with Albemarle

Photo by Bart Isley

Western Albemarle girls tennis is getting geared up for the postseason that starts Monday, and winning a hard-fought, marathon of a match over Albemarle 7-2 is a pretty good way to make sure you’re ready.

 

“As a group we’re all extremely motivated and postseason is something we’ve thought about since the first day of practice,” said Western Albemarle senior Sarah Inman. “It’s obviously a process but we’re really excited to get started with it next week.”

 

The Warriors got wins at No. 1, No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6 singles and closed out the match with a sweep in doubles. Corinne Jennings won 10-6 over Albemarle’s Eliza Sanusi at No. 1 and Austin Winslow picked up a 10-1 win over the Pats’ Kelsey Marks. Sarah Randolph Warren and Jenny Little won their matches at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively.

 

“These matches are incredible for us, it really helps us figure things out,” Inman said. “There’s a difference between hitting in practice versus having to use more strategy and these matches help us figure out how to deal with different playing styles. I think having this match now will really benefit us for postseason.”

 

The sweep in doubles came from Jennings and Winslow at No. 1, Stephanie Hass and Grace Nolasco at No. 2 and Warren and Ellie Graham at No. 3.

 

Inman was forced to retire in her match at No. 4 singles because she’s been dealing with a series of injuries including a blister on her hand and tennis elbow.

 

“The support from my team and my coaches, they’ve been very good about listening to me,” Inman said. “They’re helping me push myself but also understanding when I’ve kind of reached a limit and when it’s better to rest.”

 

For Albemarle, Mia Shen at No. 4 and Lillian Peskova at No. 3 picked up the two singles wins. The Patriots’ lone two losses on the year are both to Western, so the Patriots should be in solid shape in the postseason as well. Peskova and Shen then combined to force Western into a late night tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles while Sanusi and Marks challenged Jennings and Winslow, before falling 10-6.

 

The Warriors will host the Region 3C quarterfinals Monday against No. 8 Fluvanna County while Albemarle hosts a Region 5D quarterfinal the same day.

 

Western Albemarle 7, Albemarle 2

 

Singles

  1. Corinne Jennings def. Eliza Sanusi, 10-6
  2. Austin Winslow def. Kelsey Marks, 10-1
  3. Lillian Peskova (AHS) def. Stephanie Hass, 10-5
  4. Mia Shen (AHS) def. Sarah Inman, 9-9 (Ret. Injury)
  5. Sarah Randolph Warren def. Natalie Assink, 10-1
  6. Jenny Little def. Catherine Beiter, 10-3

 

Doubles

  1. Jennings/Winslow def. Marks/Sanusi, 10-6
  2. Hass/Grace Nolasco def. Peskova/Shen, 9-8 (played 8-game pro set due to lateness)
  1. Warren/Ellie Graham def. Charlotte Walters/Emma Paitrick, 10-1

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