Published: May 18, 2008 12:21 am            

GIRLS' TENNIS: Thomas leads Pioneers to sectional win

JEFFERSONVILLE — Whitney Thomas has never suffered a loss in the sectional round during her four-year tennis career at Providence.

Still, for the senior and her teammates, the trophy feels just as good to hold as the first one four seasons ago.

“This is still one of the best things ever,” said Thomas after helping the Pioneers dispatch host Jeffersonville 4-1 Saturday afternoon in the Jeff Sectional final. “It still feels really good.”

Strong singles play by Thomas and No. 2 Jill Grable, coupled by a relentless attack in doubles propel the Pioneers to victory.

Thomas, on the heels of a grueling semifinal win over Clarksville’s Deahna Welcher in the morning, breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Michelle Roberts in the No. 1 singles position.

“It was really tough, you have no idea how good she is until you play her,” said Thomas about Welcher, a sophomore who won the IHSAA state doubles tournament last spring. “That match took so much out of me because every point seemed to go on and on. I wanted a longer time between matches today but I had to play.”

Grable also scored a straight-sets win, topping the Red Devils’ Katherine Clark 6-3, 6-1.

“In two of their three singles spots, they’ve got just about as good of players as any team in Southern Indiana,” said Jeff coach Mark Reilly. “Thomas and Grable give them two positions of strength in every match.”

Equally as tough for Jeff to matchup with was the two Pioneer doubles teams. The No. 1 team of Stephanie Smith and Elyse LaGarenne rolled 6-0, 6-0 past Susan Di’Teresa and Macauley Murphy.

Providence’s No. 2 squad of Emily Dinoto and Courtney Murphy trailed 5-2 in the opening set before rallying to post a 7-5, 6-3 win.

“We played well,” said Providence head coach Barry Decatur. “I’m thrilled with how Whitney came back after a tough match this morning. Jill was very strong and our doubles teams were equally as strong.”

Jeff had a victory at No. 3 singles where Dee Roehm prevailed over Kady Bandy, 6-3, 6-1.

The Pioneer victory sets up a rematch against Floyd Central in the semifinals of next week’s Floyd Central Regional on Tuesday. The Highlanders recently scored a 3-2 win over the Pioneers on May 5.

“It was a very close match,” said Thomas. “We feel like we can turn that score around. There’s positions that we are going to need to score points to give us our best chance to win.”



JEFFERSONVILLE SECTIONAL

FINAL

Providence 4, Jeffersonville 1

Singles — Thomas (P) d. Roberts 6-0, 6-0; Grable (P) d. Clark 6-3, 6-1; Roehm (J) d. Bandy 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles — LaGarenne-Smith (P) d. Di’Teresa-Murphy 6-0 6-0; Dinoto-Murphy (P) d. Gaither-Eckert 7-5, 6-3.

        

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