Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Vikings ace Northwest Region
Loudoun Valley outstroked Osbourn Park for the third time this season May 19 to capture the Northwest Region girls' tennis championship.
The Vikings won four of six singles matches before clinching the overall victory with a straight-set win by their No. 1 doubles tandem of Kiersten Pappas and Juliana Jacangelo.
Valley remained undefeated this season, winning every outing by at least a three-match margin.
But Monday's contest was anything but easy.
“Osbourn Park played really well, so our girls had to step up,” Valley coach Brooke Brown said. “We were challenged today, those were some close matches. That is good for the girls. They need to see that they are going to be challenged.”
Pappas won convincingly at No. 1 singles, but the Vikings' other three singles wins were much closer. Jacangelo rebounded at No. 2 singles after dropping the first set, for a 1-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory.
Kayla Sweet won a pair of close sets, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 3 singles, as did Cecily Mullen, 7-5, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.
“It's nice to get a good challenge for a change and to actually get pushed to see how well you play,” Mullen said. “Sometimes, its a little nerve-racking. You are used to dominating and today, it's like, 'Oh, we are not 6-0'. But I still enjoyed it.”
Chelsea Verdin, who battled a constant cough throughout her match at No. 6 singles, fell in three sets, and Annie Adams lost to a strong opponent in straight sets at No. 4 singles.
With five wins needed to clinch the match, the three doubles matches were started up with Valley leading 4-2.
Pappas and Jacangelo dropped the first three games of the first set before storming back to win 12 of the next 15 games for a 6-4, 6-2 victory to clinch the title.
Valley will host Douglas Freeman in the Virginia AAA quarterfinals May 27 at 4:30 p.m.
“We just have to go into it knowing we have nothing to lose,” Mullen said. “If we do that and play our hardest, I think we'll be proud no matter how we do. I know I am.”
Home sweet home
The tennis team was not the only Viking squad to win at home May 19. Valley's soccer teams swept a doubleheader, and the softball team was victorious as well.
Valley recorded a 4-0 victory Monday against Liberty in the Cedar Run District softball quarterfinals. Pitcher Caroline Williams allowed only two hits and stroked a home run at the plate in the third inning.
The Vikings swept Stonewall Jackson in the Cedar Run soccer quarterfinals. Valley's girls won 8-0 and the boys advanced on penalty kicks.
Ashley Manning netted a hat trick in the girls' win, and Chrystal Oden played a role in seven of the eight goals with a goal and six assists. Manning pushed her season goal total to 26, a single-season school record.
Candice Kelly, Taylor Payne, Soraya Serra and Kara Swankowski also scored for Valley.
The Vikings rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the boys' match to force overtime and, eventually, penalty kicks. Luke Marzaloes and Connor Trombly scored the equalizers in the second half.
After four scoreless periods of overtime, penalty kicks were needed to decide which team advances.
Joey Sorrell, Franklin Cisneros and Marzaloes converted penalty kicks for Valley, and goalie Nathan Bergel made a key save to clinch the victory.
You must be logged in to post a comment.