Steamboat girls tennis wraps up season
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Results
Steamboat 7, Air Academy 0
■ No. 1 singles
Steamboat’s Christi Valicenti def. Jenna Milliman, 6-4, 6-2
■ No. 2 singles
Steamboat’s Rachelle Steele-Cerone def. Claire Zombola, 6-1, 6-1
■ No. 3 singles
Steamboat’s Claire Parsons def. Ana Pena, 6-0, 6-1
■ No. 1 doubles
Steamboat’s Lauren Siegel and Ali Diehl def. Grace Kim and Cheyenne Pulgin, 6-0, 6-0
■ No. 2 doubles
Steamboat’s Ellie Bender and Kaitie Breisch def. Chelsea Long and Maggie Juran, 6-0, 6-1
■ No. 3 doubles
Steamboat’s Alli Lowrie and Rachel Grubbs def. Karen Orton and Hanna Andrus, 6-0, 6-2
■ No. 4 doubles
Steamboat’s Summer Smalley and Maria Hillenbrand def. Megan Walmsley and Brooklyn Stern, 6-0, 6-2
2011 Sailors girls tennis schedule
- March 5: Steamboat 5, Thompson Valley 2
- March 18: Steamboat 5, Boulder 2
- March 19: Steamboat 7, Kent Denver 0
- March 24: Steamboat 4, Durango 3
Western Slope Open
- March 25: Steamboat girls tennis gets big wins at Western Slope Open
- March 26: Steamboat girls tennis wins Western Slope Open
- April 1: Steamboat 2, Fossil Ridge 5
- April 2: Steamboat 5, Poudre 2
- April 8: Steamboat 7, Aspen 0
- April 9: Steamboat 6, Evergreen 1
- April 14: Denver East 5, Steamboat 2
Mullen Tournament
- April 15: Steamboat 1-6
- April 16: Rachelle Steele-Cerone finishes 3rd
- April 30: Steamboat 7, Air Academy 0
Regionals
- May 5: Steamboat tennis romps in Grand Junction
- May 6: Steamboat girls tennis earns 7th straight regional title
State
- May 12: Steamboat tennis advances 3 to state semifinals
- May 13: 2 teams advance to final day
- May 14: Parsons picks up 3rd at state tennis
Steamboat Springs — The quest for No. 7 now begins.
The Steamboat Springs High School girls tennis team wrapped up the regular season Saturday in much the same way the team has in the past.
Steamboat downed Air Academy, 7-0, and didn’t lose a single set all day. Now the team prepares for the regional tournament Thursday in Grand Junction.
All singles players — Christi Valicenti, Rachelle Steele-Cerone and Claire Parsons — easily cruised through their matches.
The doubles teams might have been even more impressive.
The No. 1 doubles team of Lauren Siegel and Ali Diehl, the No. 2 team of Ellie Bender and Kaitie Breisch, the No. 3 team of Alli Lowrie and Rachel Grubbs and the No. 4 team of Summer Smalley and Maria Hillenbrand lost a total of five games.
“Our singles girls actually played some solid opponents and played really well,” coach John Aragon said. “Our doubles teams played really solid, as well.”
Aragon said he was especially impressed with Steele-Cerone’s performance.
In beating Air Academy’s Claire Zombola, 6-1, 6-1, Aragon said Steele-Cerone played her best match of the season.
“It’s the best match I’ve seen her. There were no letdowns,” Aragon said. “She’s had a few matches with our team, and she is settling down. She’s always had a solid stroke and game; it’s a matter of her putting it together. It’s a great time with state and regionals coming up.”
Steamboat leaves Wednesday for regionals, a tournament that has been mighty good to the Sailors.
The girls team will be looking to win its seventh straight title when play begins at 9 a.m. Thursday in Grand Junction.
Steamboat’s biggest competition likely will come from Durango. Steamboat beat Durango, 4-3, in a match earlier this season.
“One thing I’ve learned is to never take anything lightly,” Aragon said. “You have to start with that first match. The top two teams go to state. We want to get there and have a good run at another (regional) title.”
To reach Luke Graham, call 970-871-4229 or email lgraham@SteamboatToday.com
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