Indy Star

 

By Patrick Dorseya

Last year was an odd one for Ben Davis girls tennis. Faced with a tough schedule, the team won just one match during the regular season.

Then came sectionals -- during which Ben Davis beat defending champion Cardinal Ritter 3-2 in the first round, then knocked off Speedway 4-1 to claim the school's 15th sectional title (but its first since 2002). The Giants even came close to Perry Meridian (3-2) in the first round of regionals.

This year, though, they're mostly starting over again. Four seniors are gone, and three freshmen -- Gabriela Carbello, Leah Johnson and Bailey Schroeder -- are expected to play big roles.

Senior Katie Hollman will play No. 1 singles for the third straight year, while seniors Marcela Carbello and Hannah Drummond will play No. 1 doubles and junior Azia Bussel is expected to be a doubles competitor.

"I think that it's going to be a year where we'll continue to get better throughout the year," said coach Kevin Vanderbush. "Our goal is more to improve each time we go out and play, as opposed to looking at a particular record."

Vanderbush's hope, then, is to somewhat mimic last year in terms of peaking in the postseason. In the way come sectionals time, though, will be Covenant Christian, which returns the core of last year's team.

That includes a strong doubles tandem of Liz Gentry and Anna Zumbrun (a regional qualifier last year in individuals), along with probable singles players Kim Henke and Amanda Reller. Elsewhere, four players -- Olivia Filby, Brooke Foreman, Kayla Hunter and Esther Smith -- will be vying for the final singles spot and the No. 2 doubles slots.

"I'm feeling pretty good about our season," said Covenant Christian coach Carol Gentry.

Ben Davis opens Tuesday at Greenwood, and then goes to Pike on Wednesday. Covenant Christian debuts Wednesday against Cardinal Ritter.

Ritter owns four sectional titles in the past six years; Covenant Christian won in 2005. Speedway shared a sectional with Ben Davis, Ritter and Covenant Christian last year and reached the final, although the Sparkplugs still are looking for their first sectional title.