Bonanza for Ponderosa

Mustangs riding roughshod over field in Class 5A girls state tennis tourney

By Alan Pearce, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 8, 2008 at 7:01 p.m.

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Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

Monarch's Mary Lanaghen hits a return in a 5A doubles victory against Heritage on Thursday.

Ponderosa made its case for being the top team in Class 5A girls tennis, with every player winning all their matches at the state tournament Thursday at the Gates Tennis Center.

The Mustangs were pushed along the way, as their Nos. 2 and 3 doubles teams split sets, but they still racked up the maximum 10 points.

That total seems a little light, but the day's scheduled play wasn't completed because of a 90-minute rain delay. The singles players were able to finish two matches, but the doubles matches were halted after only one. Today's rounds will start an hour earlier for doubles, at 8 a.m.

The highlight match came in the second round of No. 1 singles, which pitted this season's favorite, Natalie Dunn of Poudre, against undefeated Veronika Wojakowska of Palmer, the 2006 champion.

Dunn had a rousing finish in her 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 win.

"The first set, I let it slip a little," Dunn said. "Also, she hit a ton of winners and I didn't have much of a response."

The second set was contested about as closely as the first, but Dunn seemed to have more of an edge to her game.

"For me, it's just mental," Dunn said. "I had to tell myself to keep fighting, to want it more."

Dunn's victory capped a strong day for the Impalas, who scored six points, a strong showing for a team with only seven state qualifiers.

Ponderosa's No. 1 singles player, defending champion Erin Sanders, had two satisfying wins. The first was against Amanda Aragon of Fort Collins. Sanders was the champion of Region 4, while Aragon lost to Dunn in the Region 6 final. Aragon was regarded as the best of the regional runners-up, so to pair her against Sanders was surprising.

But the result was some great shot-blasting tennis and a 6-4, 6-4 win for Sanders, who still needs some heavy taping before matches to help with hip-flexor problems. Sanders said her health is better now than during a three- set loss to Dunn in the April 19 final of the Cherry Creek Invitational tournament, so their rematch could be interesting.

Caroline Schnell beat two opponents and the clock in her No. 1 singles matches, a 6-0, 6-0 win against Britt Sutphin of Wheat Ridge and a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Ryann Warner of Pine Creek.

"I kind of wanted to wrap it up (against Warner) because I didn't want another rain delay," Schnell said. "I hit some good passing shots and Ryann tries to come to the net often."

Schnell will face Fairview's Carolyn Warren in today's 9 a.m. semifinals.

"My serve definitely helped me out a lot," Warren said of Thursday's victories. "I tried to come to the net a little more and end the point."

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