Sports
Ladue Edges St. Joe in Thrilling District Tennis Championship Match
Defending doubles champions Cam Newton and Annie Kopp win decisive match at No. 1 doubles in Rams' 5-4 victory Wednesday at St. Joe's.
Ladue senior Libby Ferris could only sit and wait and root.
Ferris had done her part with wins in singles and doubles in the Class 2 District 3 team championship match against St. Joseph's Academy Wednesday at St. Joe's.
But she had to sweat out the deciding match at No. 1 doubles which was won by Cam Newton and Annie Kopp over Taylor Revling and Ellie Bisig, 6-3, 6-1.
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That gave the Rams a thrilling 5-4 victory. They move on to sectional play next weekend.
"Every team I have been on has gone to state," said Ferris, who transferred to Ladue as a junior after spending her first two years at MICDS. "I am extremely excited. This one was very intense."
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Ferris joined in on the celebration after the win by Newton and Kopp, who are the defending Class 2 state champions in doubles.
"I was pretty confident with them," Ferris said of Newton and Kopp. "They are a very good doubles team."
The match was as close as the score would indicate as the the team's split the six singles matches with three of them going to three sets.
Newton (No. 1) and Caroline Oglander (No. 6) won three set matches for the Rams in addition to the straight set win by Ferris at No. 3.
Bisig won the match of the day as she defeated Kopp at No. 2 singles in a match which went to a third set tie-breaker. Freshmen Olivia Conway (No. 4) and Ellie Helton (No. 5) also had singles wins for the Angels.
Ferris and Maria Maenza won the first completed doubles match at No. 3 but Grace Hyde and Conway won at No. 2 doubles which set the stage for the pivotal match at No. 1 doubles.
"I had to feel confident when it came down to that match," Ladue coach Kevin Lackey said. "They have been there before and they both play with great instinct and great heart.
"I felt the girls played great today. Everyone played their best and that is what it took against a great team like St. Joe's."
It is the third year in a row in which the Rams have disposed of St. Joe's in the district championship.
"It was 5-1 two years ago, 5-3 last year and 5-4 this year," Angels coach Doug Smith said. "I guess we are due if the progression holds true. I felt coming in that this was our best shot in the last three years and it was a real dogfight. We played very well. Sometimes you just come up a little short."
The individual phase of the district tournament will be held Thursday and Friday at St. Joseph's.