Sewickley Academy, Quaker Valley tennis teams look to return to postseason
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Monday, August 28, 2017 | 11:00 PM
The Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley girls tennis teams are in the same boat.
Each must replace starters who helped them to the 2016 WPIAL Class AA playoffs, and, in Sewickley Academy's case, the PIAA tournament.
Sewickley Academy lost Emily Ward, the Section 4-AA singles champion, and Caroline Becker, who placed third in the section singles tournament. Both qualified for the WPIAL championship.
Morgan Recker, who teamed with Alina Mattson to win the section doubles title, also graduated.
Three freshmen have been tabbed to play for the Panthers, who opened the season Aug. 23 with a Section 4-AA win at Carlynton.
Panthers coach Whitney Snyder said Evelyn Safar, Simran Bedi and Christina Walton rose to the top of the order after challenge matches.
“These girls are good (and) hungry,” Snyder said.
Mattson, a junior, and senior Lydia Elste are top returning players.
Senior Olivia McLeod and freshmen Aleena Purewal, Victoria Keller and Emma DeSantis will compete.
Mattson and Elste are impressed by the freshmen.
“With our new additions, I believe we have the capacity to make it far,” Mattson said.
“After meeting and seeing all of the freshmen, it was clear we have the capability to come back stronger,” Elste said.
Bedi enjoys being part of a team.
“It would be nice to win the WPIAL championship and proceed to states, but the most important thing is that we have fun and bond,” she said.
The Panthers came in third in WPIALs last season.
Among Quaker Valley's losses was Grace Merriman, a 2016 Section 2-AA singles quarterfinalist.
Quakers coach Christi Hays said senior Chloe Becotte-McMullen, junior Sydney Schultz and senior Olivia Albert each posted winning records last season and will anchor the team.
Schultz and Albert competed together in the section doubles tournament.
Juniors Anna McSweeney, Abby Sanders, Abby McGinley and Martha Pangburn are other veterans.
Junior Meme Malcolm and freshman Emily Sanders are top newcomers.
“Our strength will be our depth and camaraderie,” Hays said. “This team really gets along and likes each other.”
Albert looks forward to a longer playoff run. The Quakers were shut out by South Park in the first round of the WPIAL tournament last season.
The Quakers blanked Beaver Falls in a Section 2-AA match Aug. 23.
Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.
Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy
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