Methacton’s Dina Nouaime claims PAC crown
GRATERFORD >> This group of Pioneer Athletic Conference girls tennis senior players has been a talented, competitive cast for the past three years and in some cases, four years.
Their matches have been close, interesting and entertaining, filled with excitement over the years.
Their final PAC Singles Championships took place Friday and Saturday at Perkiomen Valley High School’s courts.
When all the action concluded, Methacton top-seeded senior Dina Nouaime emerged as the league champion. Nouaime defeated Phoenixville left-hander Julia Gumieniak 6-0, 6-3 to earn the title.
“I was definitely really hoping to win after finishing second last year,” said Nouaime.
In the semifinal round, Nouaime dethroned Tori Alexander, last year’s champion by virtue of a three-set win over Nouaime. This year’s score was 6-2, 6-2 in favor of the Warrior ace.
Nouaime feels she has improved her game all-around since that time with regular practice.
“I always have good matches with Julia,” said Nouaime. “She is real consistent. My foot work was going just really well today.”
Nouaime and the rest of the top five finishers will continue their postseason quest at the District 1 Tournament beginning Friday at Legacy in Philadelphia.
Gumieniak, the third seed, upended second-seeded Elaina Lee of Owen J. Roberts 7-5, 6-1 in the other semifinal match earlier in the day.
“I am glad I was able to make it to the finals,” said Gumieniak, also a senior, recalling her semifinal match. “I was just playing well my first match. The competition is very strong here.”
Gumieniak became the first Phoenixville player to advance to the finals in some time.
The two players met last Friday in their dual meet at Methacton High School with Nouaime taking that encounter 6-1, 6-2.
Alexander rebound with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Lee to claim third place. Alexander punctuated the verdict with several service aces, including one on match point to seal the deal.
In the fifth-place playback, Methacton’s Tina Prince topped Owen J. Roberts’ Jacey Caplan 6-0,
Spring-Ford’s Tori Alexander hits a return during the PAC Singles Tournament on Saturday.
6-1.
Perkiomen Valley’s Nadja Townsend and Phoenixville’s Alex Rieg also competed in the fifth-place playback.
Nouaime closed out her match against Gumieniak by winning a service break at 40-30, capped by a long rally between the two players.