The Sentinel: Urbana captures first win of season, Kelso leads Spartans

Urbana captures first win of season with 6-3 victory over St. Joseph-Ogden in girls tennis behind strong doubles play at Blair Park.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Urbana's Elianna Lee hits the ball back over the net while playing the second set of her match against St. Joseph-Ogden's Samantha Kelso in the Tigers' home match against the Spartans.

URBANA - Samantha Kelso broke through for her first singles win of the year, but Urbana High School claimed its first team victory of the season with a 6-3 triumph over St. Joseph-Ogden in a nonconference girls tennis match Tuesday at Blair Park.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells serves during her doubles match on Tuesday.

Kelso, playing No. 1 singles, ended a two-match skid with a grueling 6-4, 7-5 decision over Urbana’s Elianna Lee in a contest that lasted two hours and 25 minutes. The win gave the Spartans an early lift, but Urbana rallied behind depth and strong doubles play.

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Lily Rice also delivered, earning her second singles win of the fall by defeating Urbana’s Catherine Bretl 6-2, 6-0. Rice, who split four matches last season, is off to a promising start with an eye on a breakout year. At No. 6 singles, Kenley Ray gave the Spartans their third point, topping Alisa Aksimentyeva 6-4, 6-2.

Urbana’s lineup countered with steady performances from its underclassmen. Freshman Anyssa Tangmunarunkit rallied from a set down to outlast SJO’s Madison Farber 3-6, 6-3, 10-5. Her older sister, Ananyah Tangmunarunkit, added a 6-4, 6-2 win over Ainsley Rhoten at No. 3 singles. Gwen McLean rounded out Urbana’s singles victories with a 6-3, 6-1 result over Avarie Dietiker.

With the score tied 3-3 after singles play, Urbana swept the doubles courts to clinch the dual. Lee teamed with Ananyah Tangmunarunkit for a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1, while Bretl and McLean secured No. 2 doubles with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Anyssa Tangmunarunkit and Aksimentyeva closed it out with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 3.

The victory improved Urbana to 1-1, while St. Joseph-Ogden slipped to 2-2. Urbana will host St. Thomas More on Tuesday, Sept. 9, before embarking on a three-match road swing. The Spartans hit the road Monday, Sept. 8, for a matchup with Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, followed by a Sept. 18 conference battle at Pontiac.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Tigers' Catherine Bretl and Gwen McLean go over game strategy during a changeover in the second set. The duo won their doubles match, defeating Maddie Wells and Ava Midkiff 6-2, 6-1.

Box Score

Urbana 6, St. Joseph-Ogden 3

Singles
No. 1 — Samantha Kelso (SJO) def. Elianna Lee (Urbana) 6-4, 7-5
No. 2 — Lily Rice (SJO) def. Catherine Bretl (Urbana) 6-2, 6-0
No. 3 — Ananyah Tangmunarunkit (Urbana) def. Ainsley Rhoten (SJO) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 — Anyssa Tangmunarunkit (Urbana) def. Madison Farber (SJO) 3-6, 6-3, 10-5
No. 5 — Gwen McLean (Urbana) def. Avarie Dietiker (SJO) 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 — Kenley Ray (SJO) def. Alisa Aksimentyeva (Urbana) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 — Lee/Tangmunarunkit, A. (Urbana) def. Schmitz/Warnes (SJO) 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 — Bretl/McLean (Urbana) def. Wells/Midkiff (SJO) 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 — Tangmunarunkit, An./Aksimentyeva (Urbana) def. Hartman/Spain (SJO) 6-3, 6-3