Valparaiso, MC set up rematch

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PORTAGE -- Today is Round 2 of the battle of Duneland Conference heavyweights: champion Valparaiso vs. two-time defending regional champ Michigan City.

They will meet in the regional final after coasting to 5-0 semifinal wins Tuesday. Valparaiso (14-3) beat out-manned River Forest and the Wolves (12-4) ousted gritty Hobart, which was making its first regional appearance in 27 years.

The Vikings edged Michigan City 3-2 earlier this season. Michigan City's two points came in three-set wins at No. 1 singles (senior Lindsey Applegate over senior Christina Rodich) and No. 2 (sophomore Brooke Foltz over junior Jordan Lewandowski ).

"I need to control the pace today," Lewandowski said.

Valparaiso's No. 2 doubles team (Allison Hess and Allison Hauser) won in three sets last time and in three sets in a doubles tourney over Michigan City's Ashleigh Ellenwood and Lauren Palmer.

"Both times it was really close," Palmer said.

Any of those three matches could hold the key in the final, with Michigan City favored slightly at No. 1 singles and Valparaiso at first doubles.

The Vikings are seeking their first regional crown since 1994 and have an experience edge with three seniors and three juniors to Michigan City's two seniors, two sophomores and two freshmen.

Michigan City, which lost five of its top seven, has captured five of the last seven regionals. The Wolves beat Valparaiso last year.

"Our kids are peaking at the right time," coach Norm Bruemmer said. "Our first doubles (Marissa Taebel and Alex Nevlieb) played their best match of the year today.

"We've shown we're competitive in at least three spots. But Valpo has no weak spots."

Vikings coach Tim Shideler said his girls "are confident because we've beaten them. We know we can do it. We hope to learn from those close losses at Nos. 1-2.

"As a team our last two matches have been very impressive."

He said the key today will be to get off to a good start.

On Tuesday, Valparaiso won 6-0, 6-0 in three matches with only Lewandowski and No. 3 Mia Kalisch (14-3) yielding one game to River Forest's Melissa Bigott and Vanessa Bravo, respectively.

Lewandowski said Bigott, a junior, "mixed it up with a variety of shots. She was great in the game she took."

"Our Nos. 2-3 played the best today," Ingots coach Mike Slys said.

"It's a good learning experience. We came in with the right attitude."

River Forest (10-8) has won two straight sectionals and three of four.

The young Wolves had more trouble with Hobart (11-6), which took at least one game in every match.

Michigan City freshman Lena Carlson edged Cristina Toma 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3. Brickies junior Abby Lams was last to finish, falling to Foltz 6-3, 6-2 with lots of long points. Foltz is 18-4.

"We have solid, athletic players," second-year Hobart coach Karen Blaauw said. She loses three seniors, but Lams predicted, "We should be real good next year."

Brickies seniors Meredith White and Sally Kratkoczski fell 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles.

"We made more errors than usual," said White, who is in just her second year of tennis. "Winning sectional was great; it doesn't happen often."

In No. 1 singles tourney action, LaPorte senior Rachel Barenie (16-1) beat Merrillville's Kelsey Barrick 6-0, 6-3. Chesterton junior Liz Shinn (13-4) held off Portage sophomore Carly Bermes 6-2, 6-3 in the day's longest match. Down 4-1 in the second set Bermes (11-4) got within 4-3; she hit more lobs than usual.

Barenie's lone loss was to DAC champion Shinn.