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Dallastown drops tough district match


HERSHEY - A sense of déjà vu swept its way through the Hershey Racquet Club in the District 3 Class 3A team tennis tournament Wednesday.

In a semifinal, Hershey's Megan Lewis once again rallied against Dallastown’s No. 2 singles player Madi Reed.

Reed led 4-2 in the third set, but Lewis fought back.

Moments before, Lewis had rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the second set before Reed battled off several match points to win the set 7-6 (5).

Now in the third set, Reed again found herself in a hole, trailing 5-4. She was also facing a 30-40 hole with Lewis serving for the match. Showing resiliency all day, Reed, just battled off a match point, but then she watched her last forehand return sail long. Lewis defeated Reed, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4, helping to clinch Hershey's 3-2 victory.

The match, and the PIAA Class 3A tournament berth went to the Trojans.

The Wildcats will have one last opportunity to earn a berth in the state tournament when Dallastown meets Exeter Township in Thursday’s third-place match after the Eagles lost 3-0 to Manheim Township.

“I am so proud of them and how big of fighters they are,” Dallastown coach Deb Gable said regarding her team's resiliency following their 3-2 loss. “To fight off match points and win sets was just huge the way they regrouped and continued to regroup over and over again, I’m proud of them.”

The Wildcats started slow, dropping the first sets in all but one match. The toughest dropped set belonged to No. 1 player Christie Friedrich who lost 6-4 to Heidi Luise Wenger. Friedrich led that set, 4-1, before Wenger’s long game took over.

After taking the second set, 6-4, Wenger and Friedrich battled to a 5-all tie in the third set. Friedrich broke serve to take a lead, but Wenger returned the favor leading to tiebreaks, ultimately won by the Wildcats senior, 7-5.

“Christie’s had some great matches and has lost to some good players,” Gable said regarding Friedrich’s afternoon. “For her to have that kind of a win against a really respected player, that’s huge.”

The Wildcats' No. 2 doubles duo of Lindsay Sheaffer and Bri Smith picked up a win at No. 2 doubles, 6-2, 7-6 (5), despite trailing 5-2 in the second set.

Dallastown's doubles victory cut the team deficit to 2-1 after the Trojans received straight set wins at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles.

“I think they’re feeling good,” said Gable. “A little disappointed, obviously, but I think they can turn it around in a day and go for third.”

Delone falls in semis

Lancaster Catholic picked up a 5-0 victory against Delone Catholic in a District 3 Class 3A semifinal.

Led by No. 1 Isabel Midcap, the Lancaster-Lebanon League entrants picked up straight set wins across the board to pick up the shutout. Singles semifinalist Ellie Neudecker had the best showing for the Squirettes, falling 6-3, 6-3 in No. 2 singles.

Delone Catholic will have another chance to make the state tournament as they meet Berks Catholic, who lost to Wyomissing 5-0 in the other semifinal, in Thursday's third-place match. The winner moves onto the PIAA tournament.

District 3 team tennis tournament
Class 3A Semifinals

Manheim Township 3, Exeter 0
#1 Singles:   Taylor Kopan MT vs Sammi Snyder 4-6, 2-3
#2 Singles:   Kate Moore MT def. Alexis Cramer 7-5, 6-2
#3 Singles:   Julia Darkey MT vs Corinne Grohoski 3-6, 6-3, 2-0
#1 Doubles: Emily Garvin/Lizzie McBride MT def. Sai Kurapati/Neha Adda 6-0, 6-0
#2 Doubles: Lizzie Musser/Nicole Honrade MT def. Yashica Kasithapu/Ryan Breton 6-0, 6-0

Hershey 3, Dallastown 2
#1 Singles:   Christie Friedrich DT def. Heidi Luise Wingert 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)
#2 Singles:   Megan Lewis H def. Madi Reed 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4
#3 Singles:   Ashlynn Searer H def. Morgan Kistler 6-1, 6-1
#1 Doubles: Chandni Desai/Kathryn Kinney H def. Meghan Salaga/Taylor Jones 6-2, 6-4
#2 Doubles: Lindsey Shaeffer/Bri Smith DT def. Manisha Kodavatiganti/Smitha Ramesh 6-2, 7-6(5)

Class 2A Semifinals

Wyomissing 5, Berks Catholic 0
#1 Singles:   Alexandra Jadic W def. Catherine Maher 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
#2 Singles:   Anna Kate Schreck W def. Laura Covely 6-0, 6-4
#3 Singles:   Mackenzie Reese W def. Haley Williams 6-2, 6-1
#1 Doubles: Leah McAvoy/Julia Herb W def. Meredith Finneran/Olivia Vagone 6-1, 6-1
#2 Doubles: Claire Ziolkowski/Vittoria D’Addesi W def. Mary Banco/Erin Maloney 6-2, 6-3

Lancaster Catholic 5, Delone Catholic 0
#1 Singles:   Isabel Midcap LC def. Alyssa Neudecker 6-2, 6-2
#2 Singles:   Riley Smith LC def. Ellie Neudecker 6-3, 6-3
#3 Singles:   Emily Baker LC def. Emily Ritter 6-0, 6-1
#1 Doubles: Elizabeth Baker/Meredith DeBord LC def. Bridgette Kilkelly/Maria Wamimal 6-0, 6-4
#2 Doubles: Meg Grasberger/Angelle San Jose LC def. Megan Jones/Rebecca Dolce 6-3, 6-2