Junior Abby Weinert is among several returnees from the Riverside Brookfield High School girls tennis team’s 2023 conference championship.
This season, though, the Bulldogs were newcomers to the seven-team Upstate Eight Conference after winning the four-team Metro Suburban Conference last year.
New opponents, same result. The Bulldogs won the UEC Meet Thursday to secure the overall title with titles at four of the seven flights.
“This win is really meaningful to the entire team because we came into a new conference not knowing the skills of the teams we had to play, which was scary at first,” responded Weinert, who captured the No. 3 doubles title with sophomore Brooke Zavorski.
“Overcoming that fear and being able to dominate during the conference matches shows how determined RB is with our athletic programs.”
Senior Harriet Juister (No. 2 singles), juniors Alekse Alijosius and Abigail Krueger and (No. 2 doubles) sophomore Paige Zavorski (No. 3 singles) also were UEC Meet champions.
Seniors Eleanor Glennie and Eleanor Lenaghan (No. 1 doubles) and junior Soleil Kaciuba (No. 1 singles) finished second. Senior Alyssa Morris and junior Ava Sweeney were fourth at No. 4 doubles.
The Bulldogs topped Glenbard South 52-47 for the overall title based on combined points from the UEC Meet and regular-season duals. The Bulldogs were 6-0 in duals with a cumulative record of 35-6, including a 4-3 victory at Glenbard South Sept. 10.
The Bulldogs’ 2023 conference title in its final MSC season marked their first since four straight from 2006-09. Juister and Kaciuba (No. 1 doubles), Glennie and Lenaghan (No. 2 doubles) were MSC Meet champions and Zavorski was second at No. 1 singles.
On Thursday, all four RBHS champions won their title matches in straight sets. Kaciuba lost her final in three sets.
“Finishing first led to a sense of accomplishment,” said Weinert, who won her final with Zavorski 6-4, 6-1.
“[Our first set] could have easily been the other way around. Being able to close in on the first set settled my mind, knowing that we could win the whole thing.”
RBHS joins Lyons Township at the Class 2A LT Sectional Friday and Saturday. Top four finishers in singles and doubles advance to state Oct. 24-26.
LTHS girls tennis
The Lions finished third at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Saturday and third in the final overall standings behind champion Hinsdale Central and Oak Park and River Forest.
The Lions were 4-2 in Silver duals.
Senior Ginny Gibbs and freshman Elise Novey (No. 2 doubles) and senior Nina Channell and junior Rhia Nagale (No. 3 doubles) both were second Saturday, losing to Hinsdale Central in the final.
Sophomore Abby Sullivan (No. 1 singles), senior Vivian Kittridge (No. 3 singles) and senior Addy Pelling and junior Erin Hanzlik (No. 3 doubles) were third, sophomore Sophia Dalgety (No. 2 singles) was fourth and seniors Ashley Culin and Mia Graziano (No. 1 doubles) were sixth.