For the past four years, there have been three constants in Oak Park and River Forest: death, taxes, and Lucy Stein qualifying for the IHSA girls tennis state tournament.
At the Class 2A OPRF Sectional, Oct. 17, Stein made it 4-for-4, advancing to state. Moreover, she won her third consecutive singles title, rolling past Kate Gibble of St. Ignatius 6-1, 6-0 in the final.
“I feel really excited. It’s been such a fun season and I’m really grateful for my time at OPRF,” said Stein, who improved her season record to 29-1. “I’m really sad it’s coming to an end, but I’m excited that I have state one last time to represent OPRF.”
Stein’s efforts helped lead OPRF to the sectional championship, the third consecutive for the program. The Huskies’ 28 points were three more than second-place St. Ignatius, with Fenwick finishing third with 15 points.
Also advancing to the state finals from OPRF, which take place Oct. 22-24 at Buffalo Grove, are freshman Zoe Glennie, junior Ella Rangsithienchai, and senior Ava Lebovitz. Glennie, the Huskies’ #2 singles player, qualified for state by reaching the semifinals (the top four singles players and the top four doubles teams from each sectional gain advancement). She finished fourth, losing the third-place match to St. Ignatius’ Catherine Grace Smith 0-6, 0-2.
“It was definitely very hard because there were a lot of good people that I played,” Glennie said. “But I fought through every match and I’m very glad I made it. I was definitely aiming to make state and it’s a very big accomplishment.”
Lebovitz and Rangsithienchai teamed at #1 doubles and reached the final, where they fell 3-6, 4-6 to Imade Osaghae and Harper Wright of Whitney Young. It’s the second consecutive trip to state in doubles for Lebovitz, who went last year with now-graduated Maria Clara Lau. She was proud of the effort that she and Rangsithienchai put into against Osaghae and Wright, who also won the sectional title last year.
“We definitely fought. They’re an amazing team,” Lebovitz said. “It’s always fun to play against them.”
Like Stein, Lebovitz appreciates the opportunity to play for OPRF one last time, and she wants to make the most of it.
“It’s kind of a last hurrah so it should be exciting,” she said.
This is the first time to state for Rangsithienchai, something she’s cherishing.
“I’m really excited, especially playing with Ava in her senior year,” she said. “I hope to be back next year, but right now I’m in the moment.”
Stein made the state quarterfinals as a sophomore and finished fourth last season. She is hoping that her final state appearance is a memorable one.
“I just have to stay confident and do my best,” she said. “Each year at state I’ve done better, so this year is my best chance, and I have to be confident and trust that I have the skills and training.”
OPRF’s other doubles entry, senior Sonia Gupta and freshman Vivian Emanuel, defeated Carn Murphy and Olivia Kulinski 6-0, 6-0 in the second round following a bye, before losing to Osaghae and Wright 1-6, 1-6 in the quarterfinals.
Fenwick
Seniors Emma Louderback and Lucy Gruber will represent Fenwick at the state finals in doubles. The duo defeated Sophie Espaldon and Ivie Ehimwenman of St. Ignatius in the third-place match, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Louderback and Gruber were not together at the beginning of the season. But a spate of injuries hit the Friars, and head coach Ron Rogala opted to put the two together for the sectional. For Louderback and Gruber to get third and qualify for state under those circumstances is impressive.
“We did a really good job together and played some hard matches,” Louderback said. “We really adapted well to the change and found a way to play well together.”
“We were able to work together well in practice,” Gruber said. “These were the first matches we played together.”
Louderback and Gruber added that they’ll play with added confidence at state and wonder how far they can go.
“(We’ll) just keep working hard in practice,” Louderback said.
Fenwick’s other doubles team, senior Mary Dobry and junior Jane Steinhagen, won two matches: 6-2, 6-4 over Lincoln Park’s Ellie Chow and Astrid Rosario, and 6-4, 6-2 over Lane Tech’s Sophia Stephanou and Kira Draney, before losing to Espaldon and Ehimwenman in the quarterfinals 2-6, 1-6.
In singles, junior Riley Boos won her opening match 6-3, 6-1 to Julia Brizzolara of Lane, then lost a quarterfinal to Gibble 0-6, 0-6. Senior Meg Prabhu was shutout by Stein in her first match (0-6, 0-6).