Traverse City Record-Eagle

Tennis

June 5, 2010

TCC puts four in tennis semis

Lyman, trio of doubles teams move into semis

From Staff Reports ----

EAST LANSING — Traverse City Central wrapped up the first day of the Division 2 state final in third place overall.

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern had a perfect day and is in first with 24 points, followed by Birmingham Marion (21), TC Central (18), Birmingham Seaholm (17) and Blomfield Hills Andover (17).

Seaholm and Andover are right on Central's heel, although Andover has just one player remaining. Seaholm — like the Trojans — has four.

The Trojans have a mathematical chance of catching Forest Hills Northern, but would need to win out today and have the Huskies — who have all eight flights left — collapse.

"I would love for us to win a title," Central coach Larry Nykerk said. "That's always the goal and we can do that at a few flights."

At the top singles flight, Laura Spencer beat Warren Woods Tower's Rachel Huston with a pair of 6-0 sets before bowing out to Anne Marie Morin of Rochester Adams, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.

"It wasn't a win, but it was a near-win against a No. 2 seed," Nykerk said. "It was remarkable.

"And Audrey Lyman's match with Birmingham Seaholm was a three-hour match and was huge in what it took to outlast that girl."

Lyman topped Wyandotte Roosevelt's Bridget Reidy by a 6-0, 6-2 count before a grueling three-set win over Birmingham Seaholm's Allyson Foreman in the final match completed on the day.

At No. 2 singles, Terria Punturo won 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of Allen Park's Molly Thomas before falling to No. 2 seed Jenny Tsai of Okemos.

Adela Fedor beat Holly's Briana Rodriguez in the first round before running into No. 3 singles top seed Kelly Lunghamer of Bloomfield Hills Marian.

"It was a good day," Nykerk said. "Everybody contributed."

The bulk of Central's points, however, came from the doubles flights, where three are still going today.

After a first-round bye, Central's top doubles duo of Maggie Milliken and Amanda Street topped Flushing 6-1, 6-1, then beat Bloomfield Hills Andover 6-1, 6-4. They'll face the No. 2-seeded duo of North Farmington's Emily Hand and Emily Jan.

Seeded fourth, the No. 2 doubles tandem of Grace Amalfitano and Kelly Milliken won their first match 6-4, 6-1 over Mattawan before topping North Farmington to earn a semifinal berth. They will face top-seeded Sarah Holden and Kajal Magal of Forest Hills Northern in the semifinals.

Maddy Connick and Ellen Whiting, the defending state champs at No. 3 doubles, came in seeded third and dispatched Portage Northern in a 6-2, 6-1 match before taking care of Andover to land a semifinal spot against Marian's duo of Morgan Asher and Jessica Fortin.

Chloe Seymour and Clare Wodzien topped Okemos 6-2, 7-5 at No. 4 doubles before bowing out to Seaholm's fourth-seeded pair.

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