Perk Valley’s Morris, Newman defend PAC Doubles title
This year’s Pioneer Athletic Conference Doubles Championships in girls tennis included two days of perfect weather, intense play and several upsets in the final results at Perkiomen Valley High School’s courts.
When all the matches were completed Saturday afternoon, host Perkiomen Valley’s defending champions and number one tandem, junior Jasmine Morris and senior Allison Newman, had repeated as tournament champions. The Vikings, who came in seeded fifth, needed three sets to dispose of Owen J. Roberts’ number one duo, senior Camryn Gelting and sophomore Elaina Lee in another three-setmatch 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
The Wildcats started the tourney as the number three seed.
“We definitely stayed more calm in the last match,” said Newman. “It was cool playing on the court thatwe league honors in the category a seawon on last year. A lot of it is based son ago. on hitting consistent and hitting on “I was second place last year,” said some angles.” Gelting, who had been teamed with
“Ali hit some great angles,” added the Wildcats’ Vidisha Pandey, now a Morris. sophomore, as a first-teamall-league
Perkiomen Valley coach Jennifer combination a year ago. Dixon, a 14-year veteran at the helm This season Owen J. Roberts chose of the Vikings who served as tourto combine Pandey and Jacey Caplan, nament chairman once again, was another sophomore, as the Wildcats’ proud of her Vikes’ performances. second team for the doubles tourney.
“My girls played like true chamThe Caplan/Pandey team wound up pions,” said Dixon. “I am very proud placing sixth after bowing to Springof them.” Ford’s number two team of Sonal Ty
Both finalist teams had to endure agi and Bianca Caresosa, during the three-set marathons just to advance finals of the fifth-placemedal playoffs. to the championship round. That, too, became a difficult three
Perkiomen Valley knocked off set match with the Rams emerging Spring-Ford’s top unit of sophomores with a 5-7, 7-6 (6) tiebreaker, 6-1 vicTori Alexander and Kathryn Alvarez tory over the Wildcats. by scores of 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. The Wild“She (Lee) is really good at serves,” cats engineered an upset in the semisaid Gelting. finals as well when Gelting and Lee “Cam is good at being more agbeat Methacton’s number one team gressive at the net,” said Lee. “I’m of sophomore Dina Nouaime and sereal consistent.” nior Sydney Markowitz by scores of Perkiomen Valley’s players comple3-6, 6-4, 6-1. ment one another in a similar fash
The Warriors began the tournaion ment as the No. 2 seed. “Jas is the hard hitter,” said Lee.
“It was definitely a real challenge “Allie is just very consistent. She hits to play themand to go three setswith every ball back. They are a nice comthem ,” said Lee, who also enjoyed a plement.” strong tournament at the PAC SinIn the first set, Owen J. Roberts gles Championships held two weeks took a quick 3-0 lead, which included ago. “It was a good match.” a couple service breaks and a game
Lee and Gelting were paired for two that reached deuce. The Vikings the first time as doubles teammates fought back to within 3-2 and then for the Wildcats. Gelting, however, 5-4 before the Wildcats prevailed 4.hashadalotofvaluableexperience6-
as a doubles player and received all- Morris made some key shots with her backhand for game-winners, and Newman held serve with the help of an ace, which allowed the Vikings to take a 4-3 lead in the second set. PV also capped a long volley with a game-winner to knot the set at 4-all on a service break. In game nine, the Vikings rallied from an 0-30 deficit to go up 5-4 and then broke serve with a 6-4 victory in the second set. Newman’s backhand shot at the net provided a pivotal point in the set to give PV a 40-30 lead.
In the third set, Newman held serve to give PV a 1-0 lead. Then the Vikes broke serve for a 2-0 lead with the aid of a lob point. Morris served game three and held for a 3-0 lead with Newman contributing some good hits at the net. PV was ahead 4-0 before OJR got on the board at 4-1 with a service break of its own. PV then finished off the set at 6-2 to end the fine match.
Spring-Ford’s stellar combination of Alexander/Alvarez came back with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Methacton’s Nouaime/Markowitz in the third-place match. ... Methacton’s number two team of Katie Benson/Sydney Thompson, the number four seed, and Phoenixville’s teamof senior Jess Eldridge and junior Ashlyn Duda, were also involved in the fifth-place playoff. ... District 1 play begins Thursday with the PAC represented by the four semifinalist teams of Spring-Ford, PV, OJR andMethacton in Class AAA and Upper Perkiomen and Pottstown in Class AA.