Pictured above: Ilana Rosenthal from the District 2 tournament. (Tony Callaio Photo)
One year removed from a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association team championship, Wyoming Seminary continues to have a major impact on the state girls tennis tournaments.
Ilana Rosenthal advanced to the Class 2A semifinals with two singles wins Friday and the twin-sister combination of Victoria and Anastasia Martinez won a match to reach the doubles quarterfinals before being eliminated.
Rosenthal is one of four players scheduled to play in the 8 a.m. Class 2A semifinals Saturday at the Hershey Indoor Racquet Club before playing again at 1 p.m. in the championship and third-place matches.
The only player among the semifinalists to have a more dominant first day was Ashley Close from Sewickley Academy. Close lost to Scranton Prep’s Alyssa Wigley in the state team tournament and Rosenthal defeated Wigley, 6-0, 6-1, in the District 2 singles final.
Rosenthal, as a sophomore, the youngest player remaining, is scheduled to meet District 7 champion Nicole Kempton, a South Park senior. Like Rosenthal, Kempton lost just three games in four sets Friday.
Close, the District 7 runner-up, will face Emily Greb from Knoch, the third-place finisher from the suburban Pittsburgh district.
Rosenthal joined the District 7 contingent in the semifinals by defeating Hamburg’s Mia Gassert, 6-1, 6-1, and Lower Moreland’s Hannah Kideckel, the District 1 champion, 6-1, 6-0.
Close reached the state semifinals last year while Kempton made it to the quarterfinals before falling to Riverside’s Karissa Ghigiarelli in straight sets.
Rosenthal defeated Close, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, in last year’s state team championship match for the deciding point when Wyoming Seminary topped Sewickley Academy, 3-2.
The Martinez sisters defeated York Catholic’s Carina Roberts-Cydney Roberts, 6-3, 6-2, in the first round Friday, then lost to Merion Mercy Academy’s Ashley Gomes-Sofia Berestetska, 6-0, 6-3.
Both District 2 Class 3A entries were eliminated in the first round by players from Manheim Township.
Kayla Kurtz defeated Susan Arp from Abington Heights, 6-2, 6-0, in singles.
Haley Miller-Jade Miller topped Wallenpaupack’s Erika Badner-Frankie Toppi, 6-0, 6-1.
