PR duo tested, but advance

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

By ROB SMITH

rsmith@nwherald.com

HANOVER PARK – Prairie Ridge’s Carolyn Huerth and Allison Murphy encountered something Friday in the fourth round of the IHSA Girls Tennis State Tournament to which they were not accustomed.

The pair did not play their best tennis and had a relatively close match in defeating Lindsey Heller and Jenny Snape, from Glenbrook North, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, to advance to the state quarterfinals.

In their three previous rounds, Huerth and Murphy had lost one game.

“We were pretty nervous,” Murphy said.

“We didn’t get in a groove,” Huerth added.

The Wolves were down, 3-1, in the first set because of a number of unforced errors, particularly volleys.

Prairie Ridge coach Jessica Fetzner said she thought the slow start was a combination of nerves and a long down time between their third- and fourth-round matches.

“They were excited to be playing,” Fetzner said. “It was a big match.”

In the third round, Huerth and Murphy defeated Paige Parola and Ali MacDonald, also a 17-32 seed, of Mundelein, 6-0, 6-0.

Heller and Snape took three sets to defeat Samantha Reedy and Molly Hennessy of Glenbard West.

Heller and Snape only were allowed a 20-minute break between matches and looked better prepared to begin the fourth round.

The challenging match was good for her team, Fetzner said, as they head to today’s quarterfinals.

“I think it helps their confidence,” Fetzner said of the win. “[Glenbrook North] was a good team.”

Huerth and Murphy fought back to tie the first set score 3-3, and the two teams held serve to force a tiebreaker. The Wolves were in control of the tiebreaker from the start, winning 7-1. The second set, while still close, was more methodical with Huerth and Murphy pounding out the win.

“We were coming up to the net more,” Huerth said. “We just had to move in and close it out.”

Huerth and Murphy will face Buffalo Grove twins Ashton and Heather Nisbet in the quarterfinals. If they are able to play outside, the match is scheduled for 8 a.m., at Prospect. If rain moves the match indoors, it will begin around 9 a.m., at the River Trails Tennis Center, 2831 Malmo Drive, Arlington Heights.

In other local action, Crystal Lake Central’s Nelle Youel lost her third-round match to Lake Forest’s Katie Zordani, 7-5, 6-3.