For almost every area player, the state tournament turned into a one-day-and-done affair.
After Thursday’s first round, only Bartlett’s doubles team of Jennifer Gates-Gabriella Gregorio remained on the courts — and not in the championship round.
Gates and Gregorio, seeded in the 17-32 group, had two wins but then went up against 9-16 seed Catherine Orfanos-Margaux Miller of Lake Forest and lost a first-set war 7-6 (5), then dropped the second set 6-3 to fall to 25-2 on the year. They play in the consolation round Friday at Prospect against Jessica Burns-Abby Kosharek of Normal Community.
Hampshire’s Hannah Hougland and Jacobs’ Ashley Kosy had the longest days with a win, followed by a loss and then a win and loss in consolation play to suffer elimination. Kosy beat Rachel Odin of Glenwood 6-1, 6-0, but failed to win a game against Nazareth Academy’s Lexie Petrovic. She then won 6-1, 6-0 over Peoria Notre Dame’s Lizzy McClure.
But Sycamore’s Angelina Ye, the St. Charles East Sectional champ, dealt a 6-1,6-1 loss to Kosy for elmination. Hougland won 6-1, 6-3 over Holley Wright of Teutopolis before a 6-0, 7-5 loss to Fenwick’s Laura Gutierrez. She bounced back with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Alexandra Kerr of Rock Island Alleman, then put up a battle but was eliminated by Neuqua Valley’s Anusha Pai, 0-6, 7-6, (4), 6-1.
Hampshire’s other state entry, the doubles team of Monica Patthana-Julie Schreiner started with a 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-1 win over Emma Melichar-Madelyn Skinner of Belleville Althoff. But Kamila Czosnyka-Marti Wind of Maine South beat the Hampshire duo 6-1, 6-0, and then Fremd’s Maggie Hanna-Allison Tomal ousted Patthana-Schreiner 6-1, 6-3.
Elgin’s Dahlia Keonavongsa was the only other area player to start with a victory. She beat Lockport’s Tomi Jo Mansel 6-3, 6-2. However, Alex Chatt of Lyons put her in the consolation bracket, 6-1, 6-0 Then Allison Lessner of Flossmoor beat her 6-3, 6-1.
Larkin’s Meryl Hansana fell into the losers bracket, scored a win by default over Glenbrook South’s Carolina Ryba and then lost 6-0, 6-0 to Oswego East’s Jairere Harlow.
Hansana, who finished her season 21-14, fought the first set of her match against Timothy Christian’s McKenna Byrne before coming up on the short end of a 7-5 count. She led 4-3 and had a 40-15 edge for next point before falling.
Byrne won the second set 6-2.
“She had a really great match and battled to the last point in the first set of that first one,” said Larkin coach Kevin Schillerstrom about Hansana, the first Royals player in nine years to make state.
The other area qualifiers bowed out in two matches.
South Elgin’s Corinne Hildebrandt-Fiona McCullough lost a war with Champaign Centennial’s Willa Olson-Sophie Kim, 3-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3 for elimination after losing 6-0, 6-1 to Drew Menzel-Grace Norgaard of Glenbard West. Elgin Academy’s Kayla Schwan-Emma May were 6-1, 6-2 losers to Kelly and Maggie Ruane of Providence, then fell 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-2 to Leeza Bodnar-Silvia Kulbokas of Stagg.
Huntley’s Tamara Funke-Jantzen Rosales lost a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 battle with Brittany Henry–Kaela Mack of Flossmoor and 6-1, 7-5 match to Warren’s Mikayla Schultz-Lauren Vrabel.
