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Girls' tennis: Northern Lebanon's Maja Andersson claims L-L Class AA title


LANCASTER >> Maja Andersson still may be trying to grasp what it means to play tournament tennis for her school, but that's hardly problematic.

Especially since the Northern Lebanon senior, an exchange student from Denmark, just continues to motor along each time she takes the court.

Monday was no different.

Andersson claimed her second title since arriving at Northern Lebanon, capturing the Lancaster-Lebanon League's Class AA singles crown with a 6-1, 6-2 conquest of Annville-Cleona's Alicia Hitz at breezy Conestoga Valley High School.

"It means a lot (to win)," Andersson said. "Here you play for a school and there you play for a club, so it's like different."

It was Andersson's third victory in as many tries – each of her earlier wins were 6-0, 6-0 – over the A-C senior. Both players will advance to the District 3-AA Tournament that begins Saturday at the Hershey Racquet Club.

And while Andersson conceded just one point while jetting to a 3-0 lead – ironically, it was the opening point of the match – the depth on her ground strokes and her pace allowed her to dictate the early flow.

Hitz refused to scrap her game plan – she had her serve broken twice in Set 1 and fell behind 5-0 – even if it took her a while to register some positive results.

"She's a hard hitter, so she works best on the baseline," Hitz said. "My goal was to move her side to side and up and back. If I do that, that's not where she's most comfortable. So yeah, I had to get used to her pace.

"And if I got used to her pace, then I could move her around."

While Hitz had some success moving Andersson around, any time the Vikings' No. 1 grew frustrated, she'd mutter a quiet "Oh, Maja" and respond by putting even more pace on her serves and ground strokes.

"I just get my anger out and then I let it go," Andersson said. "That's what I'm trying to do, at least."

While Hitz was able to claim one game and avoid another shutout, Andersson promptly closed out the opening set with a service ace.

Moments later, she was quickly back in front after recording yet another service break before holding her own service.

Hitz was able to hold serve in the middle portion of Set 2, but could not get any closer than 2-1 or 3-2. Andersson, despite getting stretched to deuce twice while on serve, closed out the match by winning the last three games.

Hitz fared much better in her second outing, teaming with Emma Lerchen for a come-from-behind 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 11-9 victory over the Pequea Valley tandem of Lenea Riehl and Regan Donecker in the AA doubles final.

Although the Little Dutchmen duo had their service broken three times in Set 1, and twice in Set 2, Hitz and Lerchen took command in the Set 2 tiebreaker by capturing four of the first five points. They closed it out with a 3-0 run.

A back-and-forth tiebreaker served as the decisive final set – Riehl's splendid topspin forehand was not as effective late – with Hitz and Lerchen eventually prevailing over their Section 2 rivals.

Elco's Sydney Nye also was embroiled in a three-set thriller with Riehl that determined the L-L's third and final automatic qualifier for the 3-AA tournament, but tumbled 6-4, 6-2 after capturing Set 1 by a 7-5 margin. Nye is hoping to collar one of Class AA's three at-large invites.

Cedar Crest's Greta Strunk also is hoping for an at-large bid to the Class AAA tournament after falling 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to Julia Darkey of Manheim Twp. in the fifth-place match. Four at-large entries are available.

Lancaster-Lebanon League

Girls Tennis Championships

Class AA

Singles

First place — Maja Andersson, Northern Lebanon def. Alicia Hitz, Annville-Cleona, 6-1, 6-2

Third place — Lenea Riehl, Pequea Valley def. Sydney Nye, Elco, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2

Fifth place — Isabel Midcap, Lancaster Cath. vs. Naomi Bronkema, Lancaster Mennonite, N/A

Doubles

First place — Alicia Hitz/Emma Lerchen, A-C def. Lenea Riehl/Regan Donecker, Pequea Valley, 1-6, 7-6 (3), 11-9

Class AAA

Singles

First place — Taylor Capoferri, Lampeter-Strasburg def. Kate Moore, Manheim Twp., 7-5, 6-3

Third place — Amanda Hagino, Hempfield def. Sophie Rathmell, McCaskey, 6-2, 6-3

Fifth place — Julia Darkey, Manheim Twp. def. Greta Strunk, Cedar Crest, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

Seventh place — Anna Farmer, Donegal def. Shannon Glover, Cocalico, 6-0, 6-1

Flight 2 — Sarah Klag, Hemp def. Sarah Capoferri, Lampeter-Strasburg, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5

Flight 3 — Katie Donell, Hemp def. Margot Herzog, Donegal, 6-1, 6-3

Flight 4 —Livia Jackson, Hemp def. Brianna Titi, Cocalico, 6-1, 5-7, 10-8

Doubles

First place — Carolyn Mann/Kate Moore, Manheim Twp. def. Amanda Hagino/Sarah Klag, Hempfield, 7-6 (2), 6-4

Flight 2 — Lauren Good/Brianna Titi, Cocalico def. Margot Herzog/Ally Wivell, Donegal, 8-3

Flight 3 — Natasha Brenner/Julia Winters, Cocalico def. Clare Aitken/Serena Cheng, Cedar Crest, 8-5