Tennis Topics
Published: May 26, 2009, Richmond Tennis Association website
Mills Godwin girls and boys advance in state team tournament
by John Packett, RTA Staff Writer
The Mills Godwin Eagles had home-court advantage today in the quarterfinals of the state Group AAA high-school team tennis tournament. And the high-flying Eagles took full advantage of it.
Using a similar formula in both the girls and boys matches against Northern Region foes, Mills Godwin advanced to the state semifinals this weekend in Newport News. Frank Cox will be the opponent for each team on Friday in the semis.
First, the girls pulled out a pair of three-set victories in singles to take a 4-2 lead heading into the doubles and went on to wrap up a 5-2 decision over George Marshall.
Then the boys gained a 4-2 advantage over James Robinson in singles when Kevin McMillen hung on for a three-set triumph and ended the Rams’ three-year reign as state champions with another 5-2 verdict.
Of the wins, the boys was the sweetest, since Robinson had ended the Eagles’ season the past three years, twice in the state final.
"I told the guys when we were lining up [for post-match handshakes], ‘Guys, I’ve been making this walk too many times and had to go and congratulate them, but today there was going to be a strut,’" said Godwin coach Tom Hoy.
"Today I was going to strut over there, so it was a nice walk, because we’ve had to shake their hands the last three years after losses."
The bottom part of the singles lineup, No. 4 Michael Holt, No. 5 Zach King and No. 6 Anthony Pelesis had given the Eagles an early 3-0 edge, but the Rams came back to make it 3-2 with victories at Nos. 1 and 3 singles.
That left McMillen at No. 2 singles, where the senior was engaged in a fierce and sometimes chippy, baseline battle with Kevin Castellow. McMillen blew leads in both of the first two sets before finally posting a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory.
"Tough match," said McMillen. "First set, I was up 3-0 and then he went up 5-3, and I managed to stay focused and pull it out. Same thing second set. I was up 3-1 and then he went ahead 5-3 and he managed to finish it out.
"I just wanted to try and get up early in the third set and try and stay mentally focused. No matter how bad I was playing, just wanted to stay calm. He got up 2-1 and [assistant coach] Eddie Parker got me some good coaching. Told me to take care of my serve and break him if I could."
McMillen captured the final five games, breaking Castellow’s serve twice in the process and giving Godwin a commanding lead.
The No. 3 doubles had already started by that time, and it took Arjun Karthikeyan and David Caravati more than two hours to provide the winning point with a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) victory over Dakota Holloway and David Smiley of Robinson.
"We’ve played a lot together, so when we come to tiebreakers, we know we have that confidence we need," said Caravati. "I know for the seniors, and I’m a junior, it feels great to finally beat them."
A forehand volley by Karthikeyan ended the match and touched off a big celebration by the Eagles.
"I kind of felt like David deserved to get it," said Karthikeyan, "but maybe I redeemed myself for all the shots I missed. It felt really good."
The girls match proceeded in a similar fashion. Godwin won the Nos. 3-6 singles matches, with Mary Frances Dudley (No. 3) and Michelle Akerman (No. 4) prevailing in three sets to give the Eagles their 4-2 advantage.
Akerman had the stage to herself for the fourth point, finally taking it 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 over Amanda Crider.
"Mrs. Bruner [assistant coach Mary Bruner] talked to me before [the third set] and said, ‘You’re going to remember this forever, just take it all in,’" said Akerman. "That’s kind of what I did, with Eddie’s help. He was backing me up the entire time.
"I looked over at him and he was pumping his fist, and I just felt it. I felt like I could do it. Plus, we’re at home and we had the advantage."
After beating Lauren Hopwood 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, Dudley teamed with Kate Larsen to supply the clinching point in a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Kelly Crider and Astrid Adam at No. 3 doubles. Dudley got her game together after dropping the opening set in singles.
"Mrs. Bruner talked to me and told me, ‘You’re the senior. You’re the leader. You need to start playing like that, because we need you to win,’" said Dudley. "Our other senior [Megan Martin] is on a physics field trip today, so I was the only senior here.
"So I just told myself that I was going to start playing tennis and stop getting mad. When it got to be 4-2, I knew we were going to win, because we’re really confident at No. 3 doubles. We work hard on our doubles in practice every day."
George Marshall was the Northern Region runner-up but had beaten the champion, Thomas Jefferson (Alexandria), twice.
"Sometimes you have a second-place team that’s not a quality opponent," said coach Mark Seidenberg, whose club is seeking its third straight state title and sixth in the past eight years.
"But we knew they were one of the best, if not the best, coming in here. We knew they were very talented. The key to our success is we have great depth. We’re playing eight girls in our lineup. Two of the girls in singles don’t play doubles.
"Mary Frances was really frazzled after losing that first set and we talked to her before she went out for the third set. I asked her what was working and she said, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t do that.’ I told her, ‘Just find a way … find a way,’ and she did.
"She’s a senior and she knows the importance of every singles match. She did an outstanding job."
Group AAA girls quarterfinal
MILLS GODWIN 5, GEORGE MARSHALL 2
Singles: Faby Chaillo (GM) d. Nicole Parker 6-2, 6-2; Ana Dominguez (GM) d. Meg Kristofak 6-4, 6-3; Mary Frances Dudley (MG) d. Lauren Hopwood 2-6, 6-2, 6-0; Michelle Akerman (MG) d. Amanda Crider 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Maddie Wood (MG) d. Sarah Doan 6-4, 6-2; Jessica Kocen (MG) d. Kelly Crider 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles: Dudley-Kate Larsen (MG) d. K. Crider-Astrid Adam 6-0, 6-1.
Group AAA boys quarterfinal
MILLS GODWIN 5, JAMES ROBINSON 2
Singles: Steven Hardy (JR) d. Kyle Parker 6-4, 6-4; Kevin McMillen (MG) d. Kevin Castellow 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Sam Coster (JR) d. Michael Baxter 6-2, 6-2; Michael Holt (MG) d. Dakota Holloway 6-1, 6-2; Zach King (MG) d. David Smiley 6-4, 6-1; Anthony Pelesis (MG) d. David Eackloff 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles: Arjun Karthikeyan-David Caravati (MG) d. Holloway-Smiley 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).