Geneva edges St. John for county girls tennis title

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — The team side of tennis was seen clearly on Saturday as the Geneva girls team eked out a 28-26 victory for the team title as freshman Addison DiPofi won a three set battle to clinch the match.

"It shows why it (tennis) is a team sport. We didn't win all of the matches but we won enough," said Geneva head coach Scott Torok.

"Addison DiPofi stepped up and won. It's a lot of pressure on a freshman and she came through with flying colors. It was like Michael Jordan hitting the shot," Torok said. He said all the doubles teams and singles players made a huge difference as well but she won her match when the tournament was still in doubt.

DiPofi said she was feeling a little pressure during the third set of her third singles championship match with Maddie Blenman.

"I was feeling a little nervous but every time I get on the court I want to play my best," she said.

DiPofi said she knew it would be a challenging match with Blenman.

Even though the team title was settled the first singles championship match between Geneva's Gabbi Selman and St. John's Alyssa Cevera was the center of attention.

Players, parents and coaches staked out a hillside and surrounding bleachers just outside the courts to watch the match that Cevera ended up winning in a second set tie breaker.

The first singles championship match turned out to be a time for each competitor to adjust style as the match went on.

St. John head coach Todd Nassief said he was proud of Cevera and Selman who he said is a great player.

Cevera had to gut out a second set tie breaker to win the match against Selman.

"I feel good. I am happy," Cevera said.

She said she started the match feeling strong, but Selman changed her strategy and started hitting a lot of lob shots.

"I tried to hit the ball short," Cevera said of her attempts to reduce the effectiveness of Selman's lob strategy.

"It is a fun sport. It is a good community. I like the mental part. It is a great sport," Cevera said. 

She also plays basketball and softball for the Heralds.

Lakeside High School hosted the event with head coach Clark Hewitt handling the administration with assistant athletic director Maureen Surbella. He said he also wanted to thank assistant coach Spencer Selman.

Selman is Gabbi Selman's older brother.

Geneva also won the first doubles competition with Lauren Stark and Cynthia Seames, the second doubles division, with Annalisa Ellsworth and Isabella Rose, and finished second in the second singles, with Mackenzie DiPofi, match as well.

St. John finished second in second doubles, with Kiden Housel and Anya Shevchik, third in first doubles, with Grace DiSalvatore and Rylee Schor,  and first in second singles, with Colleen Andersen, to garner second place.

Lakeside finished third overall with 19 points. The school is gearing up to host the CVC tennis tournament next Saturday with play to start at 9 a.m, Hewitt said.

Torok said the Eagles play Perry this week and are trailing the Pirates by one game in the standings. 

Lakeside's second doubles team of Delaney McWreath and Natalya Noce earned third place and Jefferson took second place in first doubles, withAnna Keep and Trinity Alexander.

Lakeside's Aryanna Toth was third in first singles; Kylie Klug was third in second singles and Keira Varckette was third in the third singles.