Liberty senior Sidney Reineke punched a ticket to next week’s state showcase with a pair of wins during the first day of the Division I Central District girls tennis tournament Thursday at Hilliard Davidson High School.
She breezed through the first round, handling Dublin Jerome’s Erin Zhao 6-0, 6-1. Upper Arlington’s Anna Reynolds provided a bit more resistance in the quarterfinals, winning the first set 6-2, but Reineke battled back in a big way, winning the second and third sets by respective scores of 7-5 and 6-4 to advance.
With the win, Reineke advances to Saturday’s semifinal at Upper Arlington. She’ll play Pickerington North freshman Cassie Alcala for the right to play in the district final.
The other two area standouts in singles action saw stellar seasons come to a close with first-round setbacks. Big Walnut’s Macie Kercsmar, the Golden Eagles’ first ever D-I district qualifier, fell to Dublin Jerome’s Emily Neal (0-6, 1-6) while Olentangy’s Kathleen Jones dropped a marathon match to Bishop Watterson’s Claire Ghidotti (7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 5-7).
The three district qualifying doubles teams suffered similar fates. Liberty’s Alexis Brengartner and Elizabeth MacDowell won their opener against Dublin Coffman’s Victoria Fan and Skylar Moore (6-0, 6-2), but fell to New Albany’s Taylor Selby and Christina Vitellas (1-6, 2-6) in the quarterfinals.
Orange’s Izzy Prislusky and Erin Storrer, meanwhile, fell to Pickerington Central’s Maddie Bechert and Margaret Gordan (4-6, 4-6) and Liberty’s Cellini Ko and Shanzay Ali lost to Jerome’s Neha Dudipala and Reagan Resor (1-6, 2-6), both in the first round.
The OHSAA Girls Tennis State Tournament is scheduled for Oct. 21-22 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.
GIRLS SOCCER
Ashley Smiley had a hat trick in the first half — her second tally making her the school’s all-time leading goal scorer — as Hayes parlayed a 4-1 halftime lead into a lopsided 11-1 non-league win over visiting Mount Vernon Thursday in Delaware.
Sydney Mcmillin scored a pair of goals within a couple minutes of each other to highlight the Pacers’ dominant second half.
Orange 1, Westerville North 0
Camryn Thompson scored the game’s lone goal and Hannah Sargent finished with six saves as the Pioneers blanked the host Warriors in OCC action Thursday in Westerville.
Also: Big Walnut 6, Groveport Madison 0.
VOLLEYBALL
Big Walnut put a lid on its league schedule in style, sweeping away visiting Groveport Madison to nab a share of the OCC-Capital Division crown Thursday in Sunbury.
The Golden Eagles, who finished 9-1 in league play to finish in a tie with New Albany atop the OCC standings, won the first set 25-18 before sealing the deal with wins of 25-18 and 25-13 in the second and third, respectively.
Also: Liberty 3, Olentangy 0.
BOYS SOCCER
Horizon Science Academy 6, Delaware Christian 3.
