Sewickley Academy tennis looks ahead to PIAA tournament after WPIAL runner-up finish

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, October 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Sewickley Academy was looking to win its ninth WPIAL championship in girls tennis.

The second-seeded Panthers, however, settled for second place, losing a 3-2 decision to No. 1 Knoch in the Class 2A finals Oct. 18 at the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center at Washington & Jefferson College.

“Obviously, today’s match was very close, but we played with our hearts,” said junior Rayna Thakkar, who competes at the No. 1 singles position for SA. “It was a tough loss but we hope and are excited for the opportunity to possibly play Knoch again in states.

“We have grown so much since the start of the season and have gotten stronger each match we’ve played.”

Sewickley defeated No. 15 McGuffey, No. 7 Quaker Valley and No. 3 North Catholic by 5-0 scores in the first three rounds of the WPIAL tournament.

During the regular season, the Panthers, led by Thakkar, senior Gwyneth Belt and junior Maria Sirianni at the singles positions, won a section title for the 16th consecutive year and for the 20th time since 1995.

At first doubles were seniors Anjalie Shah and Abby Bojalad while two underclassmen, freshman Rani Shah and sophomore Annabelle Christ, competed at second doubles.

Against Knoch, Shah and Christ posted a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 2 doubles and Sirianni captured a 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 decision at third singles.

After starting out the season with a nonsection defeat to 3A semifinalist Shady Side Academy, the Panthers racked up 13 consecutive victories to take a 13-1 record into the WPIAL championship round.

“I am super proud of our team’s performance this season,” Thakkar said. “A lot of people doubt our team due to our loss of players from last season. However, this is the hardest working and most devoted team I have ever been a part of.

“I think what sets us apart from other teams is our confidence, and our faith in each other. We work together as a whole and a single person’s loss is everyone’s loss just as a single person’s win is everyone’s win. I feel that is a huge part of why we have been so successful and will continue to be this season.”

Two girls not playing tennis at SA this fall were senior Ashley Close, a former WPIAL champion who decided to sit out the season to concentrate on her studies, and her sister, junior Kirsten Close, who transferred to Quaker Valley prior to the start of the 2023-24 school year.

Thakkar helped organize a program called Steel City Codes at her school. She also has taken classic Indian and Bollywood dance classes since the age of 5.

Thakkar and Belt both were looking forward to turning the page and competing in the PIAA tournament.

“We faced a talented team from Knoch and came up a little short,” Belt said, “but I am very proud about how my teammates played. The team has battled throughout the playoffs and we’ve had successful wins.

“Many people thought we would struggle to compete at a high level after losing two key players. However, our team came together and showed grit and perseverance which has resulted in a great season.”

Sewickley finished with a 6-0 record in Section 4, defeating Central Valley, Beaver, Ellwood City, Blackhawk, Beaver Falls, Riverside and Neshannock. The Panthers won five section matches by 5-0 scores.

Quaker Valley, meanwhile, participated in the playoffs minus its No. 1 singles player, Kirsten Close, who finished undefeated in the regular season.

Close was able to play in regular-season matches but was forced to take a seat for the postseason because of a WPIAL transfer rule.

“It’s definitely different,” she said. “It is what it is. I’m here to support my team. I definitely did have mixed emotions looking at my old team beat my new one (in the WPIAL quarterfinals), but if I would want to lose to anyone it would be them. I truly wish all of them the best luck.”

Against QV, Sewickley was led by Thakkar, Belt and Sirianni in the singles competition, along with the doubles tandems of Anjali Shah/Bojalad and Rani Shah/Christ.

QV’s lineup consisted of junior Joyce Olawaiye, sophomore Livia Jobbins and freshman Hanna Stein in the singles positions, with sophomores Parker Barnes and Jane Lenhard, and junior Kiera Cowher and senior Taylor Martin, at doubles.

Olawaiye, unbeaten at second singles this year, moved to No. 1 singles for the postseason. She is a three-year starter who played at first singles last season and at second as a freshman.

Olawaiye also is a gifted athlete in the QV track and field program, specializing in the triple and long jumps.

“I’m very proud of our (tennis) team’s performance this year,” she said. “We had a really amazing season. Everyone went out there and gave it their all.”

QV’s netters finished first in Section 5, winning their first section championship since 2010.

“We couldn’t have done it without the amazing team of girls we have this year,” Olawaiye said. “We’ve had a really amazing season.”

Tags: Quaker Valley, Sewickley Academy