Main Line tennis players net victories at PIAA District One singles tourney

Philadelphia – Main Line tennis players earned a number of victories at the PIAA District One Class AAA singles tournament Oct. 7-8 at Legacy Tennis Center.

In the evening’s final match Oct. 8, Conestoga’s Ashley Griffith defeated Harriton’s Nina Hoog 6-4, 6-3 to earn a spot in the fifthplace match against Central Bucks East’s Sydney Lund, which will take place Oct. 26. District One has four guaranteed spots in the PIAA state tournament, but the district tourney participants play for an alternate spot in States, in case one of the four who qualified is unable to play.

Griffith and Hoog advanced by winning their respective matches Oct. 7. Hoog opened play with a straight set win over Council Rock North’s Joanna Kwong, followed by a 6-2, 6-2 win over Cheltenham’s Shannon Nixon, setting up a quarterfinal match against Downingtown West’s Jordan Bradley.

Griffith carved her path with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Academy Park’s Vicky Outland in her opening round match followed by a thrilling three-set victory over Owen J. Roberts’ Elaina Lee setting up her quarterfinal match against second seeded Peyton Bradley from Downingtown West.

In their respective quarterfinal matches, Griffith fell to the older Bradley in straight sets, while Hoog and the younger Bradley battled in what could be considered the highlight match of the tournament, with Jordan eventually prevailing 7-6 (5) in the third set in a match that lasted over three hours.

In the first set, Jordan Bradley held a one-game lead for much of the set before Hoog fought her way to a 6-4 win. The second set saw Bradley jump out to a 5-2 lead before Hoog clawed her way back to 5-4, only for the set to finish 6-4 in Bradley’s favor.

After a short break for both players, Hoog jumped out to an early lead before Bradley began clawing her way back, eventually forcing the third-set tie-break.

When play opened Oct. 7, there were four other Main Line players who participated in the tournament. Radnor High School’s Grace Hederick and Kanon Ciarrocchi began their day with Hederick defeating Tori Alexander (Spring-Ford) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-8) and Ciarrocchi beating Vicky Lushnikov (Council Rock South) 6-4, 6-2. Conestoga High School’s Cassidy Landau also opened play with a win defeating Ricky Lane (Unionville) 6-1, 6-4.

Hederick, Ciarrocchi and Landau all fought hard in the second round match before coming up short, with Hederick losing to Emma Clark (West Chester Henderson), Ciarrocchi’s falling to Jordan Bradley while Landau’s run would end against Peyton Bradley.

Lower Merion High School’s Simon Burde took the court Oct. 7 against Elaina Lee and gave the Owen J. Roberts freshman all she could handle before falling in straight sets.

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