Andreasen and St. Laurent win tough doubles 3-setter

By Cort Reynolds

LIMA __The Ada High School tennis team competed hard at the Div. III tennis sectional tournament hosted by UNOH.

Seven Bulldogs, including three singles players and two doubles teams, participated in the first day of tournament play.

“We got a lot of experience at the tournament,” said first-year Bulldog head coach Shelleigh Alexander. “Many of our players are right at the cusp of reaching the next level.

”I think the kids all played their best today, and that is what you want at the end of the season,” she noted.

Any player or team that advanced to the semifinals on Saturday qualified for the district tournament at Port Clinton next week.

In the doubles tournament, Bulldog juniors Brooklynn Andreasen and Jaylin St. Laurent came from behind to win their round of 16 match in a three-set battle to record the lone Ada win.

After losing the first set 4-6, the Bulldog pair was a game away from elimination, trailing 2-5 in the second set. But they rallied to take the last five games of the set to stay alive with a 7-5 win. 

They ultimately beat the LCC team of Taylor Wall-Fergerson and Nana Eghan 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.

“It was awesome to see their determination,” said Alexander.

In the quarterfinals, the Bulldog duo lost to Pirates Grady Coonfare and Isaiah Kohli 6-0, 6-0 to be knocked out of the event.

Ada senior Justin Bowden was eliminated in his round of 16 singles match by Ottawa-Glandorf’s Dawson Boninsegna 6-1, 6-0.

Junior Brandon Prater also lost his round of 16 bout in a tough 6-4, 7-5 bout by Kenton’s Seth Spencer.

Bulldog junior Lawson Klingler was defeated by O-G’s Gavin Bockrath 6-2, 6-0 in a round of 32 match.

Senior Sam Crawford and freshman Lucy Carter were ousted in the round of 16 doubles flight by an O-G duo 6-1, 6-0.

It was the last Bulldog match play for Ada seniors Bowden and Crawford.