Skip to main content

South Western wins marathon tennis match against Delone Catholic


Delone Catholic and South Western rekindled their Hanover-area tennis rivalry in a nearly five-hour marathon Thursday at South Western.

The match started in the hot afternoon sun, and it ended in a cool breeze under the lights. The last varsity match of the day decided the outcome.

Needing a split in the two doubles matches, South Western got just that to defeat the Squirettes, 4-3.

Delone's Alyssa and Ellie Neudecker were dominant in a No. 1 doubles match, winning, 6-2, 6-1, over Madi Bortner and Regan Ford.

That left the pressure on Michaela Sentz and Brooke Treadway in No. 2 singles.

The pair needed three sets but came through, defeating Katie Thomas and Emily Jesko, 6-3, 6-7, 6-1.

"We're all tired," South Western head coach Karen Cracium said. "Mostly, I'm just happy for the players."

Treadway added: "This means so much, it was all up to our match."

Four hours and 55 minutes after the first matches had begun, Treadway won the last match with a lob that Thomas deposited in the net. The winning rally was set up in the final game after South Western rallied from a love-40 score.

"All that pressure put us in the mood," Sentz said.

Treadway added: "I think we make a great team."

Thomas and Jesko were in trouble, down a set and trailing 4-1 in the second.

With the court lighting providing a cinematic effect, the Squirettes began the climb.

Delone held, then saw a triple break point evaporate in the next game. Delone rallied and earned four more break points, and finally broke with a volley from Thomas. Delone held again and went in front for the first time in the next game. Endowed with double break point, Thomas blistered a forehand that pulled Sentz off the court and made a return impossible.

South Western won two consecutive games to go back in front, 6-5. But Delone responded when it forced a tiebreaker when Thomas scooped up a return and hit it low over the net, befuddling Sentz on the return. The Squirettes won the tiebreaker, 8-6, but had nothing left for the third set.

The doubles scenario was set in motion by the final singles match of the day.

South Western's Sabrina Lam refused to give up after losing the first set in No. 5 singles.

With the entire crowd, including players from both teams watching, she won the second and third sets over Bridget Kilkelly, 6-4, 6-3.

"I've actually been in the same place many times," Lam said. "It's kind of weird with people watching you because you want to take your time and look good doing things, but you know that can't always happen."

Lam raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set before Kilkelly won three straight games.

Lam played the role of brick wall after her next service game reached deuce. She returned everything hit at her in two long rallies that ended in errors by Kilkelly to close out the set.

"During the last set, I put a monotone face on and concentrated on hitting harder," Lam said. "I also tried lobbing her a lot and slicing shots."

Bortner and Ford earned the other singles wins for South Western, while Thomas and Ellie Neudecker picked up wins for Delone.

"I was really happy because normally we get killed (by South Western)," Delone assistant coach Vickie Neudecker said. "We were neck-and-neck until the last minute. I felt bad for the (senior) girls who missed (their last football) bonfire though."

South Western 4, Delone Catholic 3 at South Western

Singles — Madi Bortner, SW, def. Alyssa Neudecker 6-2, 6-3. Ellie Neudecker, DC, def. Michaela Sentz 6-2, 6-2. Katie Thomas, DC, def. Brooke Treadway 7-3, 7-5. Regan Ford, SW, def. Emily Jesko 6-1, 6-1. Sabrina Lam, SW, def. Bridget Kilkelly 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles — Aly. Neudecker-Ell. Neudecker, DC, def. Bortner-Ford 6-2, 6-1. Sentz-Treadway, SW, def. Thomas-Jesko 6-3, 6-7, 6-1.