The Class 1A champion Redwings from Benet Academy collapsed together, cuddled up, and feigned sleep on a court following Saturday’s ladies tennis state competition in Hersey.
In sunny, cold Arlington Heights, Benet senior doubles player Shane Delaney, who is currently standing, stated, “It’s been a tradition for two, three years.” “That’s how we sleep.”
During the three-day meet, Benet’s overall performance was caffeinated.
The Redwings won their first state title since 2016 with 37 points, led by Delaney/senior Clare Lopatka, who successfully defended their doubles title. Senior Meredith Converse and sophomore Lily Lopatka both finished 4-2 in singles, while Benet seniors Natalie Grover and Katie Jendra, who were seeded 9-16 in doubles, finished fourth.
Coach Michael Hand of the Redwings remarked. Over the years, our five seniors developed a strong bond. It’s difficult to put into words, but this bunch of kids, the talented tennis players, played for one another without any drama.
Delany/Clare Lopatka dominated the doubles final, defeating Isabela Ji/Sophia Holt, sophomores from Chicago (University). 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3).
. The final set ended when Lopatka smashed a crosscourt forehand volley to the open court after Delaney’s well-struck forehand in the 12th game forced a cautious answer.
A year after she and Delaney won their maiden state doubles title without dropping a set in six matches, Lopatka remarked, “It was a good thing, the final being so challenging this time.” “We seemed to have earned it more.”
Also held at Hersey, the Class 2A state singles final sounded and looked like a match on a college campus. Jessica Kovalcik, a Georgia Tech recruit and the reigning state champion from Plainfield North, faced Lizzie Isyanov, a senior from York who was headed to Illinois.
They were each undefeated going into the final.
Everything a devoted tennis fan could desire was present in the match, including sizzling swinging volleys, scurrying defensive shots, and powerful, deafening groundstrokes. The dapper Duke lost to Kovalcik 7-6 (6), 6-4.
Kovalcik remarked, “Lizzie played fantastic tennis.” “She forced me to work.”
When Isyanov requested a trainer to bandage her injured right ankle, she was behind 4-1 in the opening set. After that, she found another gear and won five of the following seven games before winning the tiebreaker 6–5.
A York supporter shouted, “You’re so locked in!” as Isyanov maintained a set point.
However, Kovalcik saved the day by winning the breaker at 6 with an inside-out forehand and winning the next two points to seal the set.
Kovalcik, who spent the summer honing her transition shots and net game and adding diversity to her game, said, “It came down to keeping the ball in play and knowing when to play defense and when to get aggressive.”
With three doubles victories from sophomore CJ Coan and senior Josie Coan, York (18 points) placed fourth in the 2A team standings.
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With sophomore Sydney Shuster/senior Abigail Gambla finishing sixth in doubles, New Trier (35) defeated runner-up Stevenson (20) and Hinsdale Central (19) to successfully defend its state title.
The Red Devils also won the program’s fourth state trophy in five years thanks to Asha Sarai’s three singles victories, Lauren Panveno/Sophia Virmani’s three doubles victories, and Kotryna Tomas’ two singles victories.
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After senior Chloe Goins won the singles title, Hinsdale South (31 points, 6 less than Benet’s total) took home the runner-up hardware in 1A. She avenged her lone 2024 loss, in the season opener, by defeating Paola Almeda, a senior at Chicago (University), 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
The Howard University-bound Goins stated, “I just tried to block out the noise (loud cheers for other matches unfolding simultaneously) and stay locked in.”
Hinsdale South’s junior Hailey Goins and freshman Teodora Savic won three doubles matches, while Hornets freshman Addy Filipiak skipped to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in the match for third place.
In 2A doubles, Naperville North seniors Gabby Lee and Brooke Coffman placed fourth, almost matching their third-place finish at the state level the previous year.
The two determined Huskies lost a hard three-setter against Abby Ma/Sophia Shlyakhta of Stevenson in a semifinal match before losing 6-4, 6-3 to Lena Dogadalski/Yuki Dogadalski of Libertyville in the third-place match.
Freshman Reese Lepsi and sophomore Riley Lepsi of Wheaton Warrenville South finished seventh in 2A after winning six of seven doubles matches over three days. Their lone defeat came on Friday in a quarterfinal match against eventual state champions Keri Rothenberg/Ariane Lesterhuis of New Trier.
Jane Carter, a senior at Timothy Christian, had more to rejoice over than her 1A singles sixth-place finish.
