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The Central Catholic doubles team of Maverick Delp, left, and Ava McQuillin won two matches Friday and will play in the semifinal Saturday.
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Central tennis doubles team advances to state semifinals

THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH

Central tennis doubles team advances to state semifinals

MASON — The Central Catholic doubles team of Maverick Delp and Ava McQuillin finished the opening day of the Division II state girls tennis tournament Friday at Lindner Family Tennis Center with a pair of victories.

But they didn’t leave feeling satisfied.

The duo will play Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown’s Isabella Daverio and Rebecca Wolf in a state semifinal Saturday, with the winner to play for the championship.

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“It’s an awesome feeling,” said Delp, a senior making her fourth state appearance. “We have more work to do still, but we’re playing our best, playing together and it’s definitely the ‘Irish Way.’”

Delp teamed with her cousin, 2018 graduate Sophia Spinazze, to finish fourth in 2015 and lose in quarterfinals each of the past two seasons.

This time, she and McQuillin beat Cincinnati Summit Country Day’s Amy Poffenberger and Sadie Joseph 6-0, 6-0 and Lexington’s Sylvia Goldsmith and Gracie Pfieffer 6-2, 6-0 to advance.

McQuillin, who normally plays first singles for the Irish, lost in the first round at state in singles each of the past two seasons.

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“It’s definitely the best we’ve ever played together,” McQuillin said. “It’s really exciting. It’s a good feeling. I’m definitely serving more into the center. That sets Mav up when they hit a lob, and she just finishes it with an overhead. I’ve played with Mav ever since we were little, and it’s fun.”

Also for Central Catholic, the doubles team of senior Rachel Gorman and freshman Bella Spinazze lost to Cincinnati Wyoming’s Emily Mayer and Peyton Osha 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in a first-round match.

In Division II singles, Napoleon junior Aliza Lankenau lost in the second round and sophomore Ellie Hire from Central Catholic and junior Priya Bhatt from Ottawa Hills fell in the first round.

Lankenau opened with a 6-0, 6-1 win against Wheelersburg’s Lea Wright but lost to Hathaway Brown’s Nicole Gillinov 6-0, 6-0 in the second round. Gillinov is defending state champion.

“I was pretty excited to come here,” Lankenau said. “My goal was to win one match, so I’m happy with that. It definitely gives you more experience playing different kinds of players and it’ll help me develop more shots. I was pretty confident in my shots and stayed pretty consistent. I think I should work more at the set and on my serve too. If I develop my serve, that would be a big asset.”

The Perrysburg doubles team of senior Emma Carter and sophomore Sydney Onest opened the Division I state tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 victory against Powell Olentangy Liberty’s Lexie Brengartner and Ellie MacDowell but lost 6-1, 6-1 to Mason’s Raina Chada and Annie Kruse in a quarterfinal.

Carter and Onest lost in the first round at state in singles last season.

“Our communication was really good and we just kept a positive attitude and energy,” Carter said. “It helped that we were relaxed.”

Also competing for Perrysburg was the doubles team of seniors Gemma Smith and Kyleigh Henthorn, who lost their opener to Lewis Center Olentangy Orange’s Kortney Reed and Erin Storrer, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.

“We knew these were the two strongest doubles teams we’ve ever brought [to state],” Yellow Jackets coach Julie Weider said. “They both had a good shot of at least winning the first round. [Smith and Henthorn] played a great match too.”

In Division I first-round singles matches, Clay senior Mady Arquette lost to Painesville Riverside’s Angelica Ross 6-1, 6-2 and Clay senior Tori Gallaher lost to Dublin Jerome’s Katherine Wang 6-1, 6-1.

On the season, Arquette finished 28-4 and Gallaher finished 22-8.

“They both had great seasons,” coach Walt Ralph said. “[Being at state] was a great way to cap off great seasons and great careers.”

First Published October 19, 2018, 11:55 p.m.

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The Central Catholic doubles team of Maverick Delp, left, and Ava McQuillin won two matches Friday and will play in the semifinal Saturday.  (THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH)  Buy Image
Perrysburg's Emma Carter and partner Sydney Onest won a Division I doubles match Friday but lost in the quarterfinal.  (THE BLADE/REBECCA BENSON)  Buy Image
Clay's Mady Arquette lost a first-round singles match in Division I.  (THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH)  Buy Image
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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