Tennis Team Defeats Rosary, Ready for St. Charles Invite

The Geneva girls tennis team defeated Rosary 6-1 in an away match Thursday night, a very nice warmup for Saturday's eight-team St. Charles East Invitational.

The Vikings won all three singles matches in straight sets.

"The girls played well," coach Maureen Weiler said.

At No. 1 singles, Geneva's Carly Ausman defeated Meredth Lantz 6-0, 6-3. Annie Tourte beat Cate McCortney 6-0, 6-0 in second-singles competition, and third-singles player Sarah Kappele overcame Jordan Hankes 6-3, 6-4.

In doubles, Claire Chlasta and Stephanie Sharpe lost to Angelina Coheen  and Katie King 2-6, 2-6. Stephanie Michaels and Kirby Arloff beat Rosary's Danielle Gray and Andrea Goyao in a forfeit following an injury, and Abbey Baumer and Emily Malecha beat Micah Goyao and Marybeth Lhowitz in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Geneva's Allison Donahue and Nora Burkhardt defeated Kelcey Arnold and Alison Stephans 6-2, 6-1.

Geneva has high hopes for the season after winning the Western Sun Conference Tournament in 2009, when they sent three players to the state meet. Geneva faces some new challenges this season in the River Division of the Upstate Eight.

Many players have taken on new roles this year.

"(We are) strong at singles," said Weiler, in her 12th year leading the Vikings' girls tennis team. "The doubles teams need to improve, work together and function as teams on the court in order for us to win conference matches."

Geneva joins border rivals Batavia, St. Charles East and St. Charles North, among other schools, and Saturday's St. Charles Invitational will be a good test.

 "We are excited to be in the UEC River Division," Weiler said. "We are hoping to contend with the top-level tennis teams in the division. Neuqua (Valley), Batavia and the St. Charles schools will be the interesting matches."

The Vikings qualified three players to the state tournament in 2009, including Chlasta, and Tourte at No. 2 doubles. This year, Tourte has moved to second singles and "is off to an impressive start," Weiler said.

With Tourte going at it alone, Chlasta is teaming with Sharpe, up from the JV team, at No. 1 doubles.

Ausman, who won the conference title at No. 2 singles and just missed qualifying for state a year ago, is stepping up a notch to first singles.

"(We) hope to be in a position to contend for the top spot at the conference tournament," Weiler said. "(We) also hope to qualify some girls for state."

The Vikings are 4-3 in dual-meet matches so far this year. After the St. Charles East Invite Saturday they go back on the road Monday with Glenbard North in Carol Stream.