TENNIS: Saline Falls Short of State Tournament Goal at Regional

In one of the state's toughest regionals, Saline's varsity girls tennis team was unable to qualify for the state meet.

Pioneer, the state's top ranked team, won the regional. Saline hoped for the second seed but settled for fourth.

For 500+ photos of Saline at the regional, click here.

"We battled hard. We just came up a little short. But I'm proud of how hard the girls competed," Saline coach Andrew BeDell said.

Saline's top singles player Andrea Teofilovic advanced through the firist round and then defeated Woodhaven's Olivia Bricker, 6-1 and 6-0. But Teofilovic, who only recently returned to action, fell to Skyline's Sari Woo in the next round.

In the second flight, Andrea's younger sister Ana, a sophomore, had Saline's best outing. She advanced with a bye and then defeated Belleville's Janae Troupe-Hardwick, 6-1 and 6-0. In the semifinal Teofilovic best Skyline's Erika Sauld, 6-4 and 6-1. She lost in the final to Pioneer's Elsie Van Wieren.

"She had a great day and outdid her seed. As a sophomore, she served notice today. She's going to be one of region's favorites next year," BeDell said.

Sophie Dubovy was Saline's entrant in flight three. She advanced with a bye and then defeated Monroe's Emma Blazoff, 6-0 and 6-0.  In the semifinal she lost to Skyline's Maddie Slade.

Brooke Engelhardt, senior co-captain, advanced in the fourth flight with a bye and then beat Belleville's Zoie Sawdy, 6-0 and 6-1 before falling to Pioneer's Bridgette Kelly. 

In doubles one, Emma Arseneault and Gisele Jost defeated their opponents from Bedford, 6-2 and 6-4, before falling to their opponents from Pioneer in the semis.

In the second flight, Mia Bao and Eva Cueto  advanced with a bye and then defeated their Belleville opponents, 6-0 and 6-0, before falling, 7-6 and 6-3 to Vivian Li and Vanessa Roche of Skyline.

Similarly, in the third flight, Makenzie Roehner and Abigail Makowski advanced with a bye and then defeated Woodhaven's team, 6-0 and 6-0, before falling to Huron's doubles team.

CJ Tuladanis and Emily Friedrichsen advanced with a bye in the fourth flight and then defeated their Monroe opponents, 6-1 and 6-0. They lost to Skyline's Pavaani Anand and Isabella Somers, 2-6, 6-1 and 6-2 in the semifinals.

Saline visits Pioneer next week for the SEC meet.

For 500+ photos of Saline at the regional, click here.

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