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Three-peat at sectional for Stagg tennis team
Updated: October 15, 2011 9:56PM
Stagg made it back-to-back-to-back sectional championships Saturday, outscoring Chicago Christian 27-20 and winning the its own sectional.
“It makes it easy for a coach to work with a group like this,” Stagg coach Hilary Nagrodski said. “It feels great.”
Gabby Petrelli and Vicky Kulbokas (28-3) led the way for Stagg, defeating twin sisters Michelle and Claudia Beczarski of Argo, 6-4, 6-2 for the doubles championship. It was Petrelli’s fourth sectional doubles championship.
“It’s always a new challenge,” Petrelli said. “It’s always something different. I had a new partner this year and she was awesome.”
Stagg’s Meredith Atkenson, who Petrelli paired up with for three sectional championships at doubles, qualified for state along with first-time qualifier and teammate Nicole Pamphilis. Atkenson and Pamphilis finished third and fourth, respectively, at singles.
Chicago Christian’s Lexi Chionis (27-1) made it back-to-back sectional crowns at singles, defeating her younger sister, Lisa, who, after Lexi won the first set 6-4, forfeited because of a back injury.
“We play with each other all the time,” Lexi said. “We know each other’s games so well, so it was fun.”
Lisa may be following in Lexi’s footsteps. Lexi made it to the sectional championship her freshman year before winning it her sophomore and junior years. A rematch next season between the two could be in the works.
“We’ve been hitting together forever, so we’re about the same,” Lexi said. “We’ll probably play each other again next year.”
Molly Traverso and Marissa Garoufalis, of Sandburg, and Sam Mangianpane and Ela Buczynska, of Reavis, will make their first trips to state after finishing third and fourth, respectively, at doubles.
Sandburg (15), Reavis (12), Shepard (12), Argo (8), Oak Lawn (6), Queen of Peace (6), Eisenhower (2) and Richards (0) rounded out the team standings.
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