High school tennis: Waterford edges rival for 2A tennis title

An overcast day in the park couldn't stop the Waterford girls tennis team from shining in the 2A state tournament on Saturday.

In dramatic fashion, the Ravens dashed Rowland Hall's hopes and clinched their first team title in nearly five years.

"I knew it was going to be neck and neck with Rowland Hall," said coach Ken Wade. "We had a chance to get a feel for them in the region tournament and knew what we had to do to win."

Waterford's Lisa Haroutunian swept through her first two games without losing a set in No. 2 singles. The junior carried the momentum into the finals at Liberty Park, where she beat defending champion Jenn Livermore from Rowland Hall to claim her first state title.

"It was a good match, because we play each other a lot so it gets better every time," said Haroutunian.

The pair met up in the region finals, where Haroutunian also defeated Livermore.

Senior Kim Beck came into the tournament undefeated on the season and played perfect en route to the No. 3 singles title. Wasatch Academy's Marie Adams powered her way to the championship match but came up short in the 6-2, 6-1 loss to Beck.

The match of the day came in No. 1 singles, where St. Joseph sophomore Joanna Matyjasik outlasted freshman Madeline Foley from Rowland Hall for the title.

Matyjasik was runner-up in 2008 and was not about to let this year slip away.

After a tough first set, Matyjasik was right where she wanted to be — with the lead and playing composed. Foley, on the other hand, seemed to continually lose focus, sometimes expressing her emotions with screams.

"She (Foley) sometimes does that but quickly gains her composure back," noted Matyjasik.

Matyjasik's composure and poise were the biggest factors in claiming the No. 1 singles crown.

Both Nos. 1 and 2 doubles were the deciding factor in this year's tournament.

In No. 1 doubles, the Rowland Hall freshman duo of Scout Swenson and Kaitlyn Ramsey slipped by Waterford's Michelle Clements and Stephi Adoudakis.

The joked, "We just kept telling each other it doesn't matter how you get it in, just get it in!"

The win put the Winged Lions in second place with 15 points, two points behind Waterford.

The No. 2 doubles title game was ultimately the most important game. A Rowland Hall win would have forced a two-way tie for the team title and would have given the Winged Lions their fifth consecutive team championship. A Waterford victory would've earned the outright team title.

Emily Love and Molly Peterson rallied through two tough sets to defeat Sarah Mian and Christine Livsey and clinch the team title for Waterford.

Wade was all smiles after it was all said and done.

"I'm just really excited for the girls," Wade said. "This Waterford-Rowland Hall rivalry is something that will continue for years and years in boys and girls tennis."

e-mail: cjohnson@desnews.com