Action underway in Kennewick.
Senior foreign exchange student Sandy Schmidt is the last Lady Knight tennis player standing.
Advancing to the state tournament thanks to a fifth-place finish in the girls singles bracket at the West Central District III Girls Tennis Tournament, Schmidt opened state action yesterday at Tri-Cities Court Club in Kennewick, drawing Shorecrest’s Alena Owen in the first-round.
“This is a little unexpected,” coach Jeremy Monroe said. “Singles is kind of a last-minute thing.”
Originally slated to team with Mayara Simone in doubles action, Schmidt switched to singles after learning Simone would not be available for state action.
But Schmidt adjusted, making it through subdistrict and district action, even beating a few players who reached state last year.
“To beat a couple of state players really gave her confidence,” Monroe said. “She really got going on her game.”
Monroe, however, said Schmidt’s competition will reach a whole new level come the state tournament, meaning first place may be out of reach.
“State’s going to be tough,” he said. “There’s a whole new level (of competition) at state. It’s 16 solid tennis players.”
At districts, held at Sprinker Recreation Area in Tacoma last weekend, Schmidt won her opening match 6-1, 6-0 against Andy Solveson of North Thurston. In the second round, she met Hazen’s Melissa Nguyen, the No. 1 seed out of the Seamount League. Schmidt banged out a 6-1, 6-3 win against Nquyen, a state participant a year ago.
In the semifinal match, Schmidt met up with Union’s Christina Le, the No. 1 seed from the Southwest/Greater St. Helen’s League. Le, who attended Evergreen last year, placed third in singles at the 4A girls tournament last year, including a win against No. 6-finisher Aya Sugimoto of Central Kitsap. Le proved a powerful foe, blanking Schmidt 6-0 in straight sets.
That set up the third/fifth-match between Schmidt and Jodi Owen of Franklin Pierce. Owen topped Schmidt to earn the No. 3 seed.
Alena Owen, Schmidt’s opening opponent, advanced to state last year but was 0-2 as a junior. Le and Bainbridge’s Grace Potter await on the other side of the bracket. Results of yesterday’s start were unavailable at press time. The tournament concludes today.
