Centennial tennis bounces back with 6-3 win over Urbana

Centennial topped Urbana 6-3 at Blair Park Thursday, rebounding from a loss to Mahomet-Seymour with key singles and doubles wins.
Ria Modi hits the ball in her tennis match
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Chargers' Ria Modi keeps the ball in play during Centennial's home match against Mahomet-Seymour. Modi, who lost that match, pulled off a commanding win over Urbana's Elianna Lee to reset her win streak.

URBANA - Coming off a loss to local emerging girls tennis powerhouse Mahomet-Seymour, Centennial put another mark in the win column Thursday with a 6-3 road victory over Big Twelve Conference opponent Urbana.

The Chargers (2-4) leaned on their top players to lead the way. No. 1 singles standout Ria Modi and No. 2 Taylor Diep, both looking to rebound from Labor Day setbacks, did just that by sweeping their singles matches and later teaming up with partners to take doubles wins as well. Modi paired with Romi Sagiv to win at No. 2 doubles, while Diep joined forces with Krisha Patel to claim No. 1 doubles.

Patel also delivered a dramatic win in singles at the No. 3 spot, outlasting Urbana’s Ananyah Tangmunarunkit in a tense third-set tiebreaker, 14-12. Sagiv added a straight-set victory at No. 4 singles to give Centennial a strong showing across the middle of the lineup.

Centennial will return home Thursday to host crosstown rival Champaign Central at Lindsay Courts, looking to secure bragging rights among Champaign-Urbana’s three large school programs.


Complete Match Results

Champaign Centennial 6, Urbana 3

Singles

  • No. 1 – Ria Modi (Centennial) def. Elianna Lee (Urbana), 6-1, 6-3
  • No. 2 – Taylor Diep (Centennial) def. Catherine Bretl (Urbana), 6-0, 6-0
  • No. 3 – Krisha Patel (Centennial) def. Ananyah Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 6-4, 2-6, 14-12
  • No. 4 – Romi Sagiv (Centennial) def. Anyssa Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 6-1, 6-3
  • No. 5 – Gwen McLean (Urbana) def. Asma Cheema (Centennial), 6-2, 6-2
  • No. 6 – Simone Marshall (Urbana) def. D. Patel (Centennial), 7-5, 6-4

Doubles

  • No. 1 – Diep/Patel (Centennial) def. Lee/Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 7-5, 5-2 (ret.)
  • No. 2 – Modi/Sagiv (Centennial) def. McLean/Bretl (Urbana), 6-2, 6-2
  • No. 3 – Tangmunarunkit/Aksimentyeva (Urbana) def. Patel/Cheema (Centennial), 7-6 (6), 6-0

More stories ~
  • Madigan wins back-to-back titles at Labor Day Tournament
  • St. Joseph-Ogden tennis rolls past St. Teresa in season opener
  • Urbana captures first win of season, Kelso leads Spartans
  • Centennial falls to Bulldogs in nonconference match at home
  • Top seven cities in the Midwest to move if you love to play tennis
  • CU is a great place for tennis; 5 really good reasons why you want play, too

    • Centennial girls tennis 2025, Urbana vs Centennial tennis results, Champaign high school sports news, Big Twelve Conference tennis scores, Illinois high school tennis updates
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    Urbana tennis shows fight with three match victories in 6-3 Defeat to Centennial

    McLean, Marshall and the Tangmunarunkit/Aksimentyeva duo claimed wins for Urbana in a 6-3 loss to Champaign Centennial.
    Alisa hits an approach shot while playing doubles
    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    Urbana's Alisa Aksimentyeva lunges forward to hit an approach shot while playing with partner Anyssa Tangmunarunkit during last Tuesday's match against St. Joseph-Ogden. The sophomore picked up another varsity win with Tangmunarunkit on Thursday against Centennial.

    URBANA – On an unseasonably cool Thursday at Blair Tennis Courts, Urbana’s girls tennis team notched three match victories but came up short against Champaign Centennial, falling 6-3 in a home dual.

    The "A-Team", Freshman Anyssa Tangmunarunkit and sophomore Alisa Aksimentyeva, extended their momentum in doubles, securing their second straight win together. After surviving a tight first-set tiebreaker, the pair rolled to a commanding 6-0 finish in the second to close out Centennial’s No. 3 tandem.

    Earlier at singles, Urbana junior Gwen McLean continued her steady play at No. 5, earning her second consecutive victory with a 6-2, 6-2 decision over Asma Cheema. Senior Simone Marshall added another point for the Tigers, battling her way to a straight-set victory at No. 6 singles with a 7-5, 6-4 result.

    Despite the loss, Urbana (1-2) showed growth coming off its season-opening win against St. Joseph-Ogden. The Tigers will stay at home Tuesday to host St. Thomas More before heading on the road Thursday for a matchup with Watseka.

    Match Results

    Champaign Centennial 6, Urbana 3

    Singles

    • No. 1 – Ria Modi (Centennial) def. Elianna Lee (Urbana), 6-1, 6-3
    • No. 2 – Taylor Diep (Centennial) def. Catherine Bretl (Urbana), 6-0, 6-0
    • No. 3 – Krisha Patel (Centennial) def. Ananyah Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 6-4, 2-6, 14-12
    • No. 4 – Romi Sagiv (Centennial) def. Anyssa Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 6-1, 6-3
    • No. 5 – Gwen McLean (Urbana) def. Asma Cheema (Centennial), 6-2, 6-2
    • No. 6 – Simone Marshall (Urbana) def. D. Patel (Centennial), 7-5, 6-4

    Doubles

    • No. 1 – Diep/Patel (Centennial) def. Lee/Tangmunarunkit (Urbana), 5-7, 7-5
    • No. 2 – Modi/Sagiv (Centennial) def. McLean/Bretl (Urbana), 6-2, 6-2
    • No. 3 – Tangmunarunkit/Aksimentyeva (Urbana) def. Patel/Cheema (Centennial), 7-6 (6), 6-0

    More stories ~
  • Madigan wins back-to-back titles at Labor Day Tournament
  • St. Joseph-Ogden tennis rolls past St. Teresa in season opener
  • Urbana captures first win of season, Kelso leads Spartans
  • Centennial falls to Bulldogs in nonconference match at home
  • Top seven cities in the Midwest to move if you love to play tennis
  • CU is a great place for tennis; 5 really good reasons why you want play, too

    • TAGGED: Urbana girls tennis 2025, Urbana vs Centennial tennis match, Blair Park Urbana sports, Urbana High School tennis results, Illinois high school girls tennis scores
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    St. Joseph-Ogden tennis team faced tough test in Paris

    SJO tennis team faced early adversity with the loss to Paris but eyes improvement as season moves on.


    PARIS - Last week, St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls tennis team ran into a determined Paris squad, falling 7-0 on the road in a non-conference matchup that saw the Tigers rebound from an early-season loss with a dominant performance.

    SJO SPORTS The Spartans entered the match looking to build on their season-opening win over Maroa-Forsyth nine days earlier. That 9-2 road victory had showcased the team’s depth and early-season form. But against Paris, now 2-1, SJO struggled to find rhythm across both singles and doubles play.

    At No. 1 singles, Samantha Kelso battled through long rallies but ultimately fell to Paedyn Keys of Paris, 6-3, 6-2. Madison Farber kept the second court competitive, pushing Kaidence Eveland in both sets before dropping a 6-3, 6-3 decision.

    Audrie Helfrich and Avarie Dietiker faced steady pressure at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively, as Paris leaned into aggressive net play and consistent returns to take both matches in straight sets.

    In doubles, SJO’s top pair of Sophia Schmitz and Shelby Warnes couldn’t hold off the Tigers’ Bella Moreschi and Myah Bartos, falling 6-1, 6-0. Ava Midkiff and Maddie Wells dropped their No. 2 match 6-0, 6-1, while Kenley Ray and Karleigh Spain closed out the day with a 6-3, 6-2 loss at No. 3.

    Despite the setback, the Spartans move to 1-1 on the season and will look to regroup. Next up, SJO travels to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on Monday, Sept. 8, followed by a conference test at Pontiac on Sept. 18.

    Tagged:St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis match recap, SJO vs Paris High School tennis results, Illinois high school tennis team updates, SJO Spartans tennis season 2025, IHSA girls tennis non-conference match
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    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.

    Maddie Wells
    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


    More stories ~
  • Madigan wins back-to-back titles at Labor Day Tournament
  • St. Joseph-Ogden tennis rolls past St. Teresa in season opener
  • Labor Day tennis tournament crowns champions
  • Centennial falls to Bulldogs in nonconference match at home
  • Top seven cities in the Midwest to move if you love to play tennis


    • TAGGED: Urbana girls tennis vs St. Joseph-Ogden, Illinois high school tennis results, Central Illinois girls tennis scores, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans tennis schedule, Urbana Tigers tennis 2025 season
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    St. Joseph-Ogden tennis rolls past St. Teresa in season opener

    Spartans take five of six singles matches in road victory. Veterans Rice, Farber, and Helfrich start the season with stellar performances.


    DECATUR — The St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis team opened its season with a convincing 7-2 win on the road at St. Teresa, showing balance across the lineup in both singles and doubles play.

    SJO SPORTS The Spartans secured five of six singles matches to set the tone early. Lily Rice, Madison Farber, Ainsley Rhoten, Avarie Dietiker and Audrie Helfrich all collected victories, with Helfrich cruising to an 8-0 sweep at No. 6 singles.

    St. Joseph-Ogden added two more wins in doubles competition. The pairing of Kenley Ray and Karleigh Spain battled to an 8-6 victory at the No. 2 position, while Sophia Schmitz and Shelby Warnes delivered an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles.

    St. Teresa earned its two points at the top of the lineup. Vinathi Marri defeated Samantha Kelso 8-4 at No. 1 singles, while Brooke Nelson and Nora Jerabek combined to take an 8-2 win over Ava Midkiff and Maddie Wells at No. 1 doubles.

    With the early road test behind them, the Spartans demonstrated the depth of their roster and strong season potential.

    Match Results

    Team Score: St. Joseph-Ogden 7 - St. Teresa 2

    Singles
    No. 1 — Vinathi Marri (St. Teresa) def. Samantha Kelso (SJO) 8-4
    No. 2 — Lily Rice (SJO) def. Brooke Nelson (St. Teresa) 8-1
    No. 3 — Madison Farber (SJO) def. Nora Jerabek (St. Teresa) 8-4
    No. 4 — Ainsley Rhoten (SJO) def. Xaniyah Todd (St. Teresa) 8-2
    No. 5 — Avarie Dietiker (SJO) def. Addison Johnson (St. Teresa) 8-4
    No. 6 — Audrie Helfrich (SJO) def. Audrey Cunningham (St. Teresa) 8-0

    Doubles
    No. 1 — Brooke Nelson / Nora Jerabek (St. Teresa) def. Ava Midkiff / Maddie Wells (SJO) 8-2
    No. 2 — Kenley Ray / Karleigh Spain (SJO) def. Xaniyah Todd / Audrey Cunningham (St. Teresa) 8-6
    No. 3 — Sophia Schmitz / Shelby Warnes (SJO) def. Addison Johnson / Tiarra Perry (St. Teresa) 8-3

    St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis 2025 season opener, SJO vs St. Teresa tennis results, Illinois high school girls tennis scores, Spartans tennis Decatur road win, St. Joseph-Ogden high school sports news
    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics
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    Good spin for Tigers, Urbana tennis team downs St. Joseph at home

    Lillian Hall hits the ball back over the next during her match at #2 singles against St.Joseph-Ogden's Madison Clampitt. Hall, a senior, defeated Clampitt, 6-3 , 6-7, 7-4.

    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
    URBANA - The Urbana tennis team won five singles matches and all three doubles contests to defeat St. Joseph-Ogden at home Monday. The Tigers were dominant on all nine courts, winning the dual match 8-1.

    All but one of the four matches decided by a third-set tiebreaker ended in Urbana's favor. Lillian Hall won the first set 6-3 and dropped the second set 7-6 in her match at No. 2 singles against SJO's Madison Clampitt. Taking an early lead in the tiebreaker, Hall secured the win with a 7-4 finish.

    Coming off a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Danville’s Aliya Morgan, Urbana’s Ananyah Tangmunarunkit lost her first set against St. Joseph-Ogden’s Madison Farber at No. 3 singles, 6-3. Regrouping, she frustrated Farber with strong defensive play, running down good shots that could have been winners to take the second set 6-1. Tangmunarunkit, a sophomore, held on to an early lead to win 10-7 in the final set.

    The Tigers also won both doubles matches that required an extra set.

    Urbana’s Grace Coady and Lillian Hall pulled out the win at No. 1 doubles after defeating St. Joseph-Ogden duo Lily Rice and MaKennah Hamilton, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6.

    Ananyah Tangmunarunkit, a sophomore, lines up a short-angled shot during her doubles match with partner Elianna Lee. The Tigers' doubles duo beat St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ella Dieteker and Sara Kearney in a three-setter. Tangmunarunkit's singles matches was also decided after three sets.

    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    At No. 2 doubles, Ananyah Tangmunarunkit and Elianna Lee played an exciting match against St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ella Dieteker and Sara Kearney. The Spartan pair won the first set 6-4, thanks to outstanding net play from Kearney. The Urbana duo regrouped, keeping the ball away from SJO’s best net player to win the second set 6-2. Tied at one set apiece, Urbana won the decider 10-5.

    The Spartans’ only victory came at No. 1 singles. In a contentious battle, SJO’s Sami Kelso defeated Urbana’s Grace Coady 3-6, 7-5, 10-5.

    The Tigers are back on the courts at Blair Park next Tuesday for their final home match of the season, hosting Central.


    Final Score:
     Urbana 8 - St. Joseph-Ogden 1

    Singles:
    Samantha Kelso, SJO def. Grace Coady, Urbana, 3-6, 6-5, 10-5; Lillian Hall, Urbana def. Madison Clampitt, SJO, 6-3 , 6-7, 7-4; Ananyah Tangmunarunkit, Urbana def. Madison Farber, SJO, 4-6, 6-1, 10-7; Elianna Lee, Urbana def. Ainsley Rhoten, SJO, 6-2, 6-2; Gwen McLean, Urbana def. Audrie Helfrich, SJO, 6-0, 6-4; Amani Brown, Urbana def. Avarie Dietiker, SJO, 6-4, 6-2.

    Doubles:
    Grace Coady - Lillian Hall, Urbana def. Lily Rice - MaKennah Hamilton, SJO, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6; Ananyah Tangmunarunkit - Elianna Lee, Urbana def. Ella Dieteker - Sara Kearney, SJO, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5; Catherine Bretl - Amani Brown, Urbana def. Audrey Benoit - Claire Hartman, SJO, 7-6, 6-0.

    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics
    Published on

    SJO tennis program overflowing with players and positive energy

    St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Kevin Martlage talks to players during their first day of practice for the 2023-24 season. The Spartans' ranks have swollen to 29 players as the program enters its fourth competitive season.
    Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
    URBANA - On Monday this, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' tennis team took up three courts at Atkins Tennis Center for their first official practice of the 2023-24 season. The program continues to grow in popularity as a fall sport. SJO welcomes 11 newcomers to the sport, filling their roster of 29 to the brim.

    "We have 18 returning players this year. A lot of them took lessons over the summer and during the off-season," said head coach Kevin Martlage, who is entering his fourth season. "I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we are capable of doing."

    This year's squad has eight seniors. Led by three-year veteran Lauren Lannert, the class of 2024 includes Maya Chahine, Grace Getty, Brianna Grant, Addison Ross, Addison Seggebruch, Emma Thurman, and Ellie Ward. Chahine and Ward are first-year players, while the rest of the class has seen two years of action for the Spartans.

    Addison Saggebruch returns to the SJO tennis program
    Senior Addison Saggebruch concentrates on a ball drill during opening day practice at Atkins Tennis Center on Monday. Last year's sectional qualifier hopes make another run toward competing at the IHSA state tournament in October. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
    The juniors represent the largest contingent of players, with ten student-athletes. Audrey Benoit, Sara Kearney, Audra Marshke, Haley Rudolph, and Alexis Wirth enter their first tennis season under Martlage. The other five players returning for their second season include Madison Clampitt, Ella Dietiker, Olivia Getty, Makennah Hamilton, and Sonia Patel.

    Martlage, overflowing with enthusiasm and an abundance of positive energy, is looking forward to the upcoming season.

    "I'm really excited about the team," he said on Monday while his players jogged laps around three courts at Atkin's Tennis Center for their warmup. "I just want to go out there and teach these girls the game of tennis and also be very competitive in the tough division we are in here in central Illinois."

    The Spartans have five home matches, the first on tap on August 17 at Atkins against Maroa-Forsyth. Then there are nine road matches lined up to played around central Illinois. Fans unable to catch a home match can watch the team play against local opponents on August 19 at the Charger Invitational (Atkins/Blair Park), on August 29 against Urbana, and on October 12 against Mahomet-Seymour (Illini Grove Tennis Courts).

    Martlage said he enjoys coaching the girls' team because of the abundance of raw enthusiasm from the players while watching their appreciation and skill in the sport mature.

    "This was never a sport [at SJO] before Covid," he explained. He recounted how a few students approached him to start the program during the pandemic. "Ten girls were like, 'Hey, want to play tennis because the IHSA says you can play tennis and nothing else.'"

    Now, starting the program's fourth season, participation in the newest sport at St. Joseph-Ogden has tripled.

    "The thing I like the most is the girls have the opportunity to learn a sport they probably would have never had the opportunity to learn, represent their school, and each other."

    Top left: Lily Rice and teammate Makennah Hamilton watch teamate execute a drill while waiting for their turn. The duo were sectional qualifiers last fall and look to make a repeat appearance in a bid to advance to the state tournament. Center: Addi Ross uses her racquet to bounce the ball during a team drill. Top right: Ella Dietiker focuses on bouncing the ball on the racquet during a team warm-up drill. Below: Totally in the zone, Caroline Aiden puts the ball back over the net with a backhand shot during the team's 3-on-3 hitting drill on Monday.

    Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

    St. Joseph-Ogden's top returning players include Saggebruch and sophomore Lily Rice, who won their opening match at sectionals in the previous season. Double partners and sectional qualifiers Ross and Hamilton also return to this year's lineup.

    Martlage is excited to see his top four players grow this season.

    "They will be coming back strong," he said. "There are a handful of others I'm excited about. There are even some players today I haven't seen since last season, and I am pretty impressed with. I asked if they had been taking lessons, and they said, 'Yes, Coach!'"

    The underclass has seven sophomores returning from 2022. Caroline Aden, Abby Getty, Claire Hartman, Samantha Kelso, Grace Preston, Ainsley Rhoton, and Lily Rice look to build on their success last season and help guide new classmates Sophia Vliet and Shelby Campbell, who join the team for their first season.

    The roster is complete with three freshman, which includes Madison Farber, Audri Helfrich, and Isabella Santiago, who joined the team this year.

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