Haddonfield captures third straight group title

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - They are expected to win.

That doesn't mean they have to act that way.

"It's just as exciting as the first time," Haddonfield senior No. 3 singles Spencer Ng said. "It never gets old."

Haddonfield won its third consecutive girls' tennis Group 2 state title and state-record 17th overall Wednesday at Mercer County Park.

Haddon Township won its Group 1 state semifinal Wednesday morning but lost in the finals in the afternoon. Moorestown lost in the Group 3 semifinals, and Mainland lost in the Group 4 semifinals.

Haddonfield (30-0), which has won 62 matches in a row, beat Pascack Hills by a 4.5-0.5 score in the semifinals, and Gov. Livingston by 5-0 in the finals.

"This is the fun time of the year," said Haddonfield coach Jeff Holman, whose team is the defending champion and No. 1 seed in the Tournament of Champions. "The girls are playing smart, aggressive tennis."

Sophomore No. 1 singles Taylor Ng and senior No. 2 Martha Theodoris won their matches in straight sets for Haddonfield, losing a total of five games.

The first doubles team of senior Meghan Burns and junior Catherine Senopoulos and the second doubles team of junior Rebecca Senopoulos and freshman Victoria Martinez also won their matches in straight sets.

"It's awesome how well we're all playing right now," Theodoris said.

Haddon Township (18-2) beat Leonia, 3-2, in the semifinals before falling to Point Pleasant Beach, 4-1, in the state finals.

"For our girls to get this far was a great accomplishment," Haddon Township coach Lorie Foster said. "I couldn't be prouder of them."

Moorestown (18-4) pushed Ramapo to the brink before losing by 3-2 in the semifinals.

Shelby Burke won at No. 3 singles, and the No. 2 doubles team of Lauren Culbertson and Dana Sleeper also won its match for the Quakers.

Moorestown's No. 1 doubles team of Kelsey Ham and Ally Curtis lost a long, competitive match, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Ham and Curtis were down a set, and down 5-4 in the second set, and rallied to win and force a third set. They were tied, 4-4, in the third set before Ramapo's team won the final two games.

"That was a great high school tennis match," Moorestown coach Bill Kingston said. "That last match was back-and-forth, but they just played a little better at the end."

Kingston praised Burke, a sophomore, for her performance and said Culbertson and Sleeper played their "best match of the season."

Mainland's doubles teams each split as the Mustangs fell to Livingston, 4-1, in the Group 4 semifinals.

Mainland's first doubles team of Erin Hanlon and Tamir Lewkowitz earned a half-point for the Mustangs, as did Lauren Devine and Nicole Nardi at second doubles.

The results

GROUP 4 SEMIFINALS

Livingston 4, Mainland 1

Singles: Nicole Russo, L, d. Sydni Fahringer, 6-3, 6-0; Sam Alpert, L, d. Julia Zeltner, 6-0, 6-1; Christine Chen, L, d. Nicole Fahringer, 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles: Erin Hanlon and Tamar Lewkowitz, M, split with Eeshin Chang and Jenna Kaufman, 4-6, 7-6; Lauren Devine and Nicole Nardi, M, split with Natalie Tran and Sharon Chen, 6-7, 2-2.

Westfield 3, Montgomery 2

GROUP 4 FINALS

Westfield 4, Livingston 1

GROUP 3 SEMIFINALS

Ramapo 3, Moorestown 2

Singles: Amanda Muliawan, R, d. Emma Allen, 6-1, 6-0; Lisa Jouravleva, R, d. Breezy Maravich, 6-1, 6-1; Shelby Burke, M, d. Katie Norlino, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Ashley Garbaccio and Julia Friedberg, R, d. Ally Curtis and Kelsey Ham, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4; Dana Sleeper and Lauren Culbertson, M, d. Allison Nolte and Kristen Pizzolo, 7-6, 6-3.

Millburn 3, Holmdel 2

GROUP 3 FINALS

Millburn 3, Ramapo 2

GROUP 2 SEMIFINALS

Haddonfield 4.5, Pascack Hills .5

Singles: Taylor Ng, H, d. Gabby Drucker, 6-1, 6-1; Martha Theodoris, H, d. Dani Stern, 6-1, 6-1; Spencer Ng, H, split with Sarah Spellman, 6-1, 5-7.

Doubles: Meghan Burns and Catherine Senopoulos, H, d. Harli Thau and Sam Wolfin, 6-3, 6-0; Rebecca Senopoulos and Victoria Martinez, H, d. Sam Benedict and Felicia Gottheim, 6-0, 6-1.

Gov. Livingston 4.5, West Essex .5

GROUP 2 FINALS

Haddonfield 5, Gov. Livingston 0

Singles: Taylor Ng d. Holly Ream, 6-0, 6-0; Martha Theodoris d. Laura Tierney, 6-1, 6-0; Spencer Ng d. Sophia Osbourne, 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles: Meghan Burns and Catherine Senopoulos d. Pam Samuels and Kaithlyn Hoehn, 6-3, 6-0; Rebecca Senopoulos and Victoria Martinez d. Dani Rosenthal and Bari Grossman, 6-0, 6-3.

GROUP 1 SEMIFINALS

Haddon Twp. 3, Leonia 2

Singles: Simona Levsky, L, d. Lexi Turcich, 6-1, 6-0; Miya Okado, L, d. Devon Sanford, 6-1, 6-3; Scout Bauer, HT, d. Alisha Malla, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles: Annie Patella and Jess Donaldson, HT, d. Victoria Pai and Annie Kennelly, 6-3, 6-3; Kathleen Duffy and Alexia Lindsay, HT, d. Maleyna Marks and Zoe Kim, 6-1, 6-1.

Pt. Pleasant Beach 3, Glen Ridge 2

GROUP 1 FINALS

Pt. Pleasant Beach 4, Haddon Twp. 1

Singles: Alex Bologno, PPB, d. Lexi Turcich, 6-3, 6-0; Grace Newall, PPB, d. Devon Sanford, 6-0, 6-1; Elizabeth Tell, PPB, d. Scout Bauer, 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles: Lisa Hajisafari and Alexis Connor, PPB, d. Annie Patella and Jess Donaldson, 6-1, 6-1; Kathleen Duffy and Alexia Lindsay, HT, d. Katie Gaal and Kylie Zusi, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

NON-PUBLIC A FINALS

Red Bank Catholic 5, Pingry 0

NON-PUBLIC B FINALS

Newark Academy 4, Ranney 1