Madan lifts Shawnee to 15th WBL tennis title

LIMA - Vidhi Madan had to endure a marathon of a match Saturday, but it was worth it.

It took nearly two hours, but the junior's first singles victory over St. Marys' Megan Dominik, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3, in the finals helped propel Shawnee's girls tennis team to the Western Buckeye League championship at Collett Street Courts.

Celina finished second followed by St. Marys, Elida, Van Wert, Wapakoneta, Bath, Ottawa-Glandorf and Kenton tied for eighth. Kenton finished 10th.

It was the 15th WBL championship for the Indians since 1977.

Madan won third singles as a sophomore and improved her record to 17-0 this season.

"It was a really hard match (against Dominik)," Madan said. "It was hard to play with the wind and she is a really good player. I had to keep hitting to her forehand to get her."

Bath's Emily Jordan defeated Elida's Jessie Adkins 7-5, 7-5 for third place.

In second singles, St. Marys senior Kelly Fritz defeated Elida senior Jessica Stambaugh 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to win the championship. Celina's Rachel Smith knocked off Shawnee's Lizzy Mart 6-3, 6-3 to capture third place.

"I played really hard and she was a good competitor," Fritz said. "The first set she was on her game and I picked it up the second set and the third set was really close.

Fritz, who finished third last year, did not let the slow start rattle her.

"I didn't think about the first set," Fritz said, "I just let myself start on the second set."

In third singles, Shawnee freshman Lauren Rovner remained perfect in the WBL, zipping past Celina's Shelby Decker 6-0, 6-1. St. Marys' Amy Ellis defeated Van Wert's Gretchen Klinker 7-5, 6-3 to grab third place.

Celina swept the doubles matches with the Kinzie Gardner and Sarah Dorsten winning first doubles and the duo of Katie Pyle and Sharee' Werling winning second doubles. Gardner and Dorsten defeated the Elida duo of Amy Sarno and Amanda Brickner 6-2, 6-1. The St. Marys' team of Lydia Krugh and Mariah Krugh defeated Shawnee's Sowmya Balusu and Ravali Parsa 6-1, 6-3 to finish third.

Dorsten won second doubles last year and knows players who complement each other have the best chance to have success.

"We're partners and best friends," Dorsten said. "Her forehand is strong and my backhand is strong. I like the net and she likes the ground strokes so we even each other out. Teamwork is what got us here."

Pyle and Werling defeated Melinda Mat'e and Amanda Lawson 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. Van Wert's team of Melissa Bloomfield and Whitney Owen defeated Wapakoneta's tandem of Makenzie Klock and Olivia Nelson 6-4, 6-3 to finish third.

"I'm a senior and I'm really excited," Pyle said. "This is awesome."