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Four WPIAL entrants remain at PIAA tennis tournament
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By Matt Grubba
Published: Friday, November 2, 2012, 8:06 p.m.
Updated: Friday, November 2, 2012
HERSHEY — Four WPIAL entrants remain in the PIAA tennis tournaments, but, at most, three can finish as state champs.
Peters Township's Sarah Komer and Abby Cummings and Oakland Catholic's Nicole Cyterski and Megan Wasson reached the semifinals of the Class AAA doubles tournament, and WPIAL singles champs Callie Frey of Mt. Lebanon and Spencer Caravaggio of Quaker Valley also remain alive in the PIAA individual championships at Hershey Racquet Club.
The Oakland Catholic tandem came on strong after dropping the first set of its quarterfinal, rallying, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, against Maureen and Katherine Devlin of Wissahickon.
“We went out there in the second set to have fun and stay loose,” Cyterski said. “We've come back from 5-2 in matches, so we knew if we stuck to our game, we could win this one.”
Komer and Cummings, the WPIAL doubles champs, dropped just six games in two straight-set wins. Komer is going for a second straight state title after winning last year with partner Stephanie Smith.
“It's exciting,” Komer said. “Every year is a new experience, and it would be cool to win two in a row.”
Frey also had a strong first day in the Class AAA singles tournament as she was off the court quickly in a 6-1, 6-2 win over Methacton's Miheala Codreanu and a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Susquehannock's Katie Wagner.
“I did pretty well (Friday), but I'm going to need to do even better (Saturday) to keep winning,” Frey said.
One potential challenge if Frey reaches the final is last year's runner-up, Cristina Kaiser of Plymouth Whitemarsh. Kaiser reached the semis by topping Megan Adamo of Upper St. Clair, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
In Class AA singles, Caravaggio cruised through her first-round match before having to work to finish a two-set win over Nathalie Joanlanne of Wyoming Seminary, 6-0, 6-4. Caravaggio wears a compression sleeve on her shoulder and is forced to serve underhand as she has all season because of an injury.
“As the quality (of opponent) goes up, it is more difficult,” Caravaggio said. “In the first set, (Joanlanne) didn't return well, but in the second, she returned very well. That put more pressure on me to return well.”
Greensburg Central Catholic's Alyvia Kluska won her first match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, over Pam Niditch of Loyalsock before losing in the quarterfinals to Audrey Ann Blakely of Wyomissing, 6-0, 6-0. Blakely and Caravaggio are the last two losing finalists in Class AA singles and are on a path to meet in this year's finals.
In Class AA doubles, two WPIAL pairings — Amy Cheng and Jappmann Monga of Sewickley Academy and Chelsea Carter and Sara Kaminsky of South Park — reached the quarterfinals but were eliminated in straight sets.
Matt Grubba is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-388-5830 or mgrubba@tribweb.com.
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