Moorestown Friends tops Eustace for title

Moorestown Friends senior captain Sarah Connell fought through the nerves yesterday.

Connell won a tightly contested decision over Bishop Eustace's Kelli Gulite at No. 1 singles to help the Foxes claim the South Jersey Non-Public Group B girls' tennis championship at Atkinson Park in Sewell.

Connell's 6-3, 6-3 victory, along with No. 2 singles Kiera Guerriere's 6-4, 6-3 win over Stephanie Cox, helped the Foxes rally after falling behind, 2-1, after three matches.

"There was a lot of tension," Connell said. "I had beaten [Gulite] before, but this was a different type of match. It was very tough."

The Foxes (11-1) were playing without normal No. 2 singles player Kayla Fox. She was out because of illness. That forced Guerriere to move up to No. 2, and put Ketcha Lilly in at No. 3.

"I was nervous the whole way here on the bus," Connell said. "I didn't know what was going to happen. It pretty much came down to who wanted it more, and I guess we did."

The Crusaders (13-9) were dealing with a lineup change of their own. Allegra Del Rossi had been teamed with Abby Miller at No. 1 doubles, but a recent ankle injury sent Del Rossi to the sideline and Miller up to No. 3 singles.

Eustace head coach Frank Del Rossi, Allegra's father, was hoping Allegra could play in the title match, and she would have gone in at No. 2 doubles, but she could not get back from the injury in time. Still, the Crusaders coach remained optimistic.

"I was hoping we'd win a 3-2 match," Del Rossi said. "I think something like seven of our nine losses have been in 3-2 matches. My doubles teams have really been strong this year, and we were hoping for a couple of points there."

The Crusaders earned just one of the doubles points, as the No. 1 duo of Kia Dooley and Katie Bohny won, 6-0, 6-1. Bishop Eustace got another point with Miller's 6-1, 6-4 win over Lilly at No. 3 singles.

It wasn't enough.

Moorestown Friends' Ari Taomina and Jessica Walker improved to 12-0 on the year with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles, setting the stage for the top singles players to pull out the win.

"I wasn't sure if we were mentally ready to deal with the loss of Kayla," Moorestown Friends head coach Ed Rahn said. "But we were. Everyone pulled together and did it. I hope the girls enjoy this because they earned it."

According to Rahn, the Foxes have a difficult match ahead - against the Villa Walsh/St. Bernard's winner in the North Jersey championship match - in the Non-Public B state championship 1 p.m. Wednesday at Mercer County Park.

"Those are always great teams up there," Rahn said. "We're going to go up and give it out best shot."

Singles: Sarah Connell, MFS, def. Kelly Gulite, 6-3, 6-3; Kiera Guerriere, MFS, def. Stephanie Cox, 6-4-6-3; Abby Miller, BE, def. Ketcha Lilly, 6-1, 6-4.

Doubles: Kia Dooley and Katie Bohny, BE, def. Dominique Gnatowski and Colleen Convery, 6-0, 6-1; Ari Taomina and Jessica Walker, MFS, def. Amanda Piarulli and Regina Delaurentis 6-0, 6-1.

South Jersey Group 4. Cherry Hill East defended its sectional title by sweeping the singles matches in a 4-1 win over Washington Township.

No. 1 singles player Amanda Kaufman closed out the team scoring with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Washington Township's Ali Salkowski.

Allison Burkhardt won, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2 singles over Township's Kristin Urban, while Joy Hu earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over Christina Luzzi at No. 3 singles.

"This is a great feeling for us," Hu said. "Even though we had beaten them already this year, we didn't want to come into the match overconfident."

The Cougars will play the winner of Bergen Tech and Ridgewood in the Group 4 state semifinals at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Mercer County Park. Cherry Hill East lost in the state semis last season to East Brunswick.

Cherry Hill East (11-2) also got a 6-3, 6-4 win from Christina Bell and Dyuti Das at No. 1 doubles. Township's only win came at No. 2 doubles, as Kerri Bartfuff and Kirstyn Urbas won, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3.

Singles: Amanda Kaufman, CHE, def. Ali Salkowski 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Allison Burkhardt, CHE, def. Kristin Urban, 6-1, 6-1; Joy Hu, CHE, def. Christina Luzzi, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles: Christina Bell and Dyuti Das, CHE, def. Amanda Cole and Kristen Abdullah 6-3, 6-4; Kerri Bartruff and Kirstyn Urbas, WT, def. Elyse Eisenberg and Lauren Cohen, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3.

South Jersey Group 1. By sweeping the doubles matches, Pennsville earned a 31/2-11/2 win over Salem and secured a berth in the state semis. Rachel Coleman and Leigh Stafford took a 6-1, 6-1, win at first doubles, and Tiffany Yeich and Julia McCann prevailed, 6-0, 6-0, at second doubles.

Singles: Erin McCarthy, S, def. Ashlei Lowe, 6-1, 6-3; Marla Baker, P, drew Julie Mahoney; Brittany Ascenzi, P, def. Megan Merritt, 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: Rachel Coleman and Leigh Stafford, P, def. Ramona Maldonado and Mallory Linn, 6-1, 6-1; Tiffany Yeich and Julia McCann, P, def. Jackie Fisher and Jannelle Harris, 6-0, 6-0.

South Jersey Group 2. The doubles teams of Meghan Burns and Jocelyn Perry, and Vera Hinsey and Martha Theodoris combined to lose just two games in four sets, sparking Haddonfield to the sectional title with a 4-1 win at Haddon Township.

The Bulldogs (26-2) also got straight-set wins from Brianna Fram at first singles and Cara Masullo at third singles.

Singles: Brianna Fram, H, def. Elizabeth Gercke, 6-0, 6-0; Jessica Scarpello, HT, def. Melissa Martinez, 5-7, 6-1, 6-0; Cara Masullo, H, def. Allison Oberg, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles: Meghan Burns and Joce Perry, H, def. Ryann Burke and Jackie LaBrossa, 6-0, 6-2; Vera Hinsey and Martha Theodoris, H, def. Dana Wilsey and Lexi Turcich, 6-0, 6-0.

South Jersey Group 3. Moorestown dominated the singles matches with wins from Paulina Malts, and sisters Winnie and Zoey Call, in a 5-0 sweep of Seneca in the sectional final.

Singles: Winnie Call, M, def. Nicole Portner, 6-0, 6-3; Paulina Malts, M, def. Jessica Tyrrell, 6-3, 6-1; Zoey Call, M, def. Jen Magrann, 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles: Lexie Gertie and Rachel McMonagle, M, def. Samantha Farr and Gina Oddo, 6-0, 6-0; Ally Curtis and Ranna Jaraha, M, def. Desiree Owle and Ashley Miller, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.