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Mt. Lebanon reaches PIAA semifinals

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When Mt. Lebanon defeated Peters Township, 4-1, earning a repeat trip to the PIAA tournament, the girls’ tennis team had one goal in mind.

“The girls are excited to be going back to states again this year, but in turn they are not just happy to be going as we all know that our goal is be state champions,” said Lebo skipper Paul Skrok immediately after the triumph that vaulted the Blue Devils into the state tournament. “We are focused and determined and feel like we are peaking at the right time.”

As the Blue Devils peaked, so too did North Allegheny. The Lebo ladies dispatched Fairview, 5-0, to earn a trip to Hershey and then edged Exeter Township, 3-2, to reach the Final Four and a rematch with the Tigers. Lebo lost to NA in the regular season and in the WPIAL semifinals.

In the PIAA semifinals, the Tigers again triumphed over the Blue Devils, posting a similar victory, 4-1. NA went on to capture its third consecutive state championship with a 4-1 win against Shady Side Academy in the PIAA finals.

Against NA, Lebo’s No. 2 doubles team of Casey and Lauren Carey posted the lone victory. In the 3-2 win against Exeter, the pair won, 6-0, 6-3, as did the No. 1 duo of Katherine Izzo and Brooke Warshaw, 6-2, 6-2. Morgan Happe won at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-1, to cap the victory.

Against Fairview, everybody won for the Lebo ladies, including their No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, Kristi Riley and Skylar Morgan.

In the qualifying win against Peters, Riley and Happe won at singles’ play. Lebo’s doubles’ tandems swept the competition as well. Skrok was pleased with his team’s play against the Indians, whom Lebo had beaten during regular season action to claim a section banner.

“Our doubles teams really played controlled and intelligent doubles,” Skork said. “We take doubles as a high priority on a daily basis.

“Morgan played smart tennis against an excellent player. She was looking forward to the challenge and played with confidence.”

And of Riley, his senior captain, Skrok added, “Kristi let her experience show, which trickles down to everyone on the team. She is a great leader.”

While Skrok will be looking for new leaders next season, he doesn’t expect much to change in the district or in the state regarding girls’ tennis in 2016. That is because North Allegheny returns it top four players: juniors Anna and Tina Li, freshman Ashley Huang and sophomore Eugenia Lee.

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