Bethel Park captures first WPIAL girls tennis title
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Lily Sierka, Katie Peterson and Cami Fisher gleefully accept their trophy after sweeping North Allegheny, 5-0, to capture the WPIAL team tournament for girls tennis. The trio won their singles matches for Bethel Park in straight sets.
Photos: Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Bethel Park defeated North Allegheny, 5-0, to capture its first WPIAL team championship for girls tennis.
Photos: Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Bethel Park No. 1 singles player Cami Fisher returns a forehand against Sara Fernadez during WPIAL Class AAA girls team championship action. The freshman won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Emma Smith returns a shot at the net during No. 1 doubles action. The Bethel Park senior combined with freshman MacKenzie Smock for a 6-1, 6-3 victory. The win propelled the Lady Hawks to a 5-0 win against North Allegheny for their first-ever WPIAL team championship.
Eleanor Bailey
Lily Sierka connects on a forehand during No. 2 singles action. Sierka won the match when her opponent defaulted because of an injury in the second set.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mackenzie Smock returns a shot during her doubles match in the WPIAL Class AAA girls championship match. Smock combined with Emma Smith for a 6-1, 6-3, that helped Bethel Park beat North Allegheny, 5-0,
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Katie Peterson returns a forehand during her No. 3 singles match during the WPIAL Class AAA team championship bout against North Allegheny.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Cassie Sierka was a smash hit at the net for Bethel Park during No. 2 doubles action. She combined with Julia Gabbie for a 7-6 (3), 6-4, win that enabled the Lady Hawks to capture their first WPIAL team tennis title with a 5-0 triumph against North Allegheny in the Class AAA finals.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Julie Gobbie attacks the net during No. 2 doubles action at the WPIAL championships. Gabbie combined with Cassie Sierka for a 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory that helped Bethel Park win the Class AAA title with a 5-0 win over North Allegheny.
Depth, dedication and determination steered Bethel Park to its first WPIAL girls team tennis title in school history.
“We don’t have holes in the lineup,” said BP head coach Doug Addington. “Most teams experience a drop off between players but it’s very minimal from match to match on our team. In practices, when my No. 1 plays my No. 2 it’s a really good match to watch.
“Going down our team, we are all pretty similar skill wise and we are super close. The girls cheer each other on. They are really tight because they have known each other and have been playing together since they were 2 and 3 years old. So they have wanted this for a long time.”
Emma Smith agreed. The senior plays No. 1 doubles with freshman MacKenzie Smock.
“I think it was really cool that we were not only able to be the first team in school history to win it but that we have all been playing together since we were in elementary school. We have been talking about this forever. Our team is going to be so good in high school, we’d tell each other. So for it to actually happen is like crazy.”
Insane was the way the Lady Hawks torched the competition.
After going undefeated during the regular season and capturing a section title, Bethel Park earned the No. 1 seed in the Class AAA tournament.
The Lady Hawks breezed into the finals with victories against Norwin, 5-0, Upper St. Clair, 4-1, and Shady Side Academy, 3-2.
Bethel Park swept past North Allegheny, 5-0, in the championship match played Oct. 18 at the Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center on the Washington and Jefferson College campus.
Smith and Smock finished first. Thanks to Smock’s serves and Smith’s angled drop shots and volleys at the net, the tandem won at No. 1 doubles against Audrey Zheng and Tia Soussou, 6-1, 6-3.
“It’s really exciting and a great experience being one of the younger members of this team and helping the seniors achieve their goal,” Smock said. “It was fun.”
Katie Peterson picked up the second win of the match. At No. 3 singles, the senior bested Peyton Mauser, 6-2, 6-2.
“It was a difficult match,” Peterson said. “Peyton played very well and we had long rallies. I had to be on defense to get the ball back and was running around the court a lot, but I stuck with it.
“Winning a WPIAL title is amazing and to be able to do it my senior year is really great,” added Peterson, who owns a 4.42 GPA and is considering attending Penn, Columbia or Duquesne University to study pre-law. “I would have never imagined this honestly but as the soon as we started the season, we realized it was possible and then we got here.”
Cami Fisher put the Lady Hawks over the top. The freshman clinched the match with her straight set win, 6-4-6-2, at No. 1 singles against Sara Fernandez.
“I think this is absolutely the coolest thing ever,” Fisher said. “We joked about this at the beginning of the season that we were going to be WPIAL champs but none of us actually believed it would happen. I’m still in shock and shaking. I can’t stop crying. It’s awesome.”
Julia Gobbie and Cassie Sierka combined to beat Siya Jain and Rebecca Murphy at No. 2 doubles, 7-6 (3), 6-4, and Lily Sierka won at No. 2 singles when Laetitia Wessel was forced to retire because of an injury in the second set.
The Lady Hawks are now entered into the PIAA tournament. They will play their first match at home on Oct. 24. A win against the District 8, 9 or 10 champion would gain them a trip to Hershey for the quarterfinals on Oct. 27. The semifinals and finals are set for Oct. 28 at the Hershey Racquet Club.
“I really think we have a good shot at states because I feel like every one on our team is so good. Our lineup is so solid. You don’t see a team with seven solid players like ours has,” Fisher said. “You need a solid seven players, who have chemistry and who are friends on and off the court. If not tight like that, then you are not going to have chemistry on the court.”
Peterson agreed. “We are all very close and we have known each other for a while. We work really well together. We pump each other up. We are there for each other, and we will continue to be.”
Smith is looking forward to the state competition before she has to consider her collegiate plans. She owns a 4.65 GPA and is weighing her options. John Carroll, Gettysburg and Duquesne are among her choices for studying nursing.
“States is going to be so exciting because last year we went out in the first round. With us winning WPIALs, that gives us a better draw. If we win on Tuesday, the whole team goes to states and I think we are pretty good,” she added. “We will just have to wait and see how good.”
For now, the Lady Hawks are content to call themselves the best in Western Pennsylvania.
“This is something these girls will never forget. This really was their year,” Addington said. “The combination of three seniors, three freshman and one junior put us over the top. All the matches were competitive. We were fortunate to win it but I don’t feel lucky. I think the better team won. I am so proud to be their coach and I am so happy for my players.”