By By STEVE MORRISON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – In barely on and a half hours, the Brandywine Bobcats girls' tennis team slashed and slammed their way through a stunned Paw Paw Redskins team that offered some, but little, resistance to Brandywine's attack at Plym Park.
It was a clean sweep, in singles and doubles, by the 'Cats on a remarkably beautiful Monday afternoon.
Two noteworthy matches featured undefeated Bobcat players. In No. 1 doubles, partners Jamie Bartuska and Jo Ferenczi maintained their perfect record for the season (15-0), defeating the Redskin tandem of Anella Cooper and Stephanie 6-0 in the first set and squashing an attempted comeback of their opposition 6-3, in the second parley.
Ferenczi finely polished off the game, set, and match with a backhand slam, at the net.
Also, Ariel Prescott kept her 15-0 streak going with 6-1, 6-0 defeat of Alisha Peters in the four slot of singles.
The Brandywine doubles teams, from one to four, clobbered the visiting Redskins by combined game scores of 48-8.
Lynette Earl and Nichole Coshow, Katy Irons and Ashley Light, as well as Brooke Ford and Kyla Molica added their prowess to the Bartuska and Ferenczi effort to take all eight sets, without losing a set.
Brandywine's No. 1 singles entry, Amelia Harrison, captured a tough first set from Beth Field, 6-3. Sending shots to the corners, Harrison manufactured a 4-1 lead at the beginning of the set.
Fields answered with two winning games, in the middle, to make it 3-5.
Harrison ended the adventure, winning 6-3, and dominated the second set, 6-0.
In most likely the most difficult duel of the day, Brittney Patterson, of Brandywine, outlasted her nemesis, Kirstin Frank, 6-0, 6-2.
Ignoring the steady returns of Frank, Patterson hung with the lengthy volleys that consumed the second set. Relying on a two-handed back hand, Patterson stayed Frank's rally, and some friction over calls, from 0-5 to 2-5, to complete Brandywine's perfect night.
Patterson sent a perfect right corner shot, just inside the margin, to finish off her foe.
When asked to give his perspective on the season thus far, Brandywine Coach Joe Marazita responded, "today actually begins the second half of the season. It's just a 12-week season; we've just begun the second half. I think we picked up right where we left off. We got a good effort from the whole team today."
Brandywine is now 9-1 on the campaign.
Paw Paw…0
Brandywine…8
Singles
1. Amelia Harrison (B) d. Beth Field 6-3, 6-0; 2. Brittney Patterson (B) d. Kirstin Frank 6-0, 6-2; 3. Aubrey Espick (B) d. Jamie Moholuich 6-1, 6-1; 4. Ariel Prescott (B) d. Alisha Peters 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
1. Jamie Bartuske/Jo Ferenczi (B) d. Ariella Leeper/Steph King 6-0, 6-3; 2. Lynette Earl/Nichole Coshow (B) d. Jan Nelson/Laura Hill 6-2, 6-1; 3. Katie Irons/Ashley Light (B) d. Ally Whitworth/Jen Tackwell 6-0, 6-1; 4. Brooke Ford/Kyla Molica (B) d. Sarah Schmidt-Nichole Castange 6-0, 6-1