ELYRIA, Ohio – Rocky River competed in DI Northeast Ohio Elyria Sectional Tournament action on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and one Pirate athlete – Samantha Robertson – has advanced to the next stage of postseason play in the Buckeye State brackets. [Results]

 

Robertson – the 2020 Great Lakes Conference singles champion and 2020 GLC MVP – went into the tournament at the Elyria Athletic Complex as the No. 3 seed. The sophomore went 3-2 on the week: she lost just one game over her first 37 in collecting wins over Brigid O'Neill (Magnificat), Raina Sinha (Strongsville), and Hanna LeMaster (Avon). The sophomore standout fell to second-seeded Amara Brahmbhatt of St. Joseph, 6-1, 7-6 (4), in a windy affair marked by powerful serves and tremendous net play.

 

Robertson was up, 5-2 in the second set of her next match, a tester against Tia Clemens (St. Joseph). But Clemens battled back to defeat River’s top racket-eer in a 6-3, 7-5 contest.

 

Senior captain Becca Krebs opened with an impressive 6-1, 6-1 victory over North Olmsted's Sylvia Phillips. Krebs followed that win with a tremendous 1-6, 6-4, (10-6) comeback win over Strongsville's Amelia Matousek in round two. Krebs was eventually ousted in the third round by Olmsted Falls' Morgan Truscott (6-0, 6-4).

 

Senior Makenzie Runyon opened her tournament with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lakewood's Mariah Kaim. Runyon then overpowered Midpark's Haley Svec, 6-0, 6-0, before falling to fourth-seeded Tia Clemens in round No. 3.

 

In doubles action, the senior tandem of Caitlin Kelly and Maire Kate Hickey opened play with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Kearsten Radabaugh and Sydney VanOver (North Ridgeville). Kelly and Hickey then bowed out after a 6-3, 6-4 tussle against Avon's Lauren DuPerow and Olivia Sidoti.

 

Juniors Scout Hahn and Hannah Burgess went the route in an absolute first-round battle against Midpark's JJ Zarzycki-Hall and Ellen Barrett. Hahn and Burgess prevailed by a final score of 6-4, 6-7, (10-3). They would lose a valiant second-round match, 61-, 7-5, to Amherst Steele's Kaylee Pajor and Brooke Bratovich.

 

Samantha Robertson now moves on to district tournament action, which will be contested Thursday and Saturday at the Springside Racquet Club in Akron, Ohio. Robertson is 19-5 on the season.

 

“We play such a tough regular season schedule,” said Head Coach JoHanna Forman, “and it was so exciting to see the girls battle through the season, improve, and play well here this week.  They all showed so much toughness.”

 

by Skip Snow

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