Tipp captures MVL title on Senior Night

It was the match everyone was looking to, as the Tippecanoe girls tennis team hosted Butler on Senior Night. It was also the match that would determine the MVL championship.

The Red Devils completed the sweep of the Aviators 5-0 to not only capture the regular season league title but send the girls into the postseason with some momentum.

“We played phenomenal on all the courts, I feel,” Tipp coach Jack Romer. Winning 5-0 is a huge statement in the league after they beat us last year in the regular season. It allowed us to complete our undefeated regular season MVL tournament and improve our record to 12-5.”

“We are getting a lot closer to our full potential as a team, and it's showing in the match results.”

Senior Bre Kovaleski won the first singles match against Ava Petty 6-2, 6-2 in a match that both Tipp coaches were impressed with how well she played. 

“Last year, they both played second singles, and Ava beat Bre in the league tournament championship,” Romer said. “This year, Bre was determined to win and get revenge. She played very aggressively and did not allow Petty to get comfortable at all in the match. She kept her guessing where her shots were going to go.”

Maddy Lieber won at second singles and, according to Romer, completely dominated Emma Filc 6-0, 6-0 in a match that lasted 30 minutes. 

“Lieber only had one loss on the year coming in,” Romer said. “She has been on fire in recent matches and hopefully continues that into the post season.”

At third singles, Jillian Schroeder defeated Leila Zugelder 6-1, 6-0. The two Tipp doubles teams were also easily victorious. Mary Waibel and Eve McCormick defeated Ashton Fleming and Elizabeth Koewler 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles. At second doubles,  Samantha Kozen and Penny Bathgate defeated Olivia Boinfas and Kennedy Gross 6-1, 6-1.

But the night was more than just a big league win, it was a chance to celebrate the two seniors, Kovaleski and McCormick.

“The two seniors have meant everything to me and this team since I took over,” Romer said. “They have been tremendous leaders on and off the court, helping me get the team organized to lead the warmup every day without me having to step in.”
“Bre took over the first singles role this year and has had to face a gauntlet of some of the best tennis players Dayton has to offer. She has shown her ability to battle against them, which should help her in college and in the postseason.”

“For Eve, she has become a doubles specialist and she and Mary have been dominating matches since the start of the season,” Romer added. “I credit a lot of that to the work Eve has put in over the last two years, coming off a major injury, and she put in the work in the offseason to improve, and it has shown.”

This week is the MVL postseason tournament leading into the sectionals. Romer says his team is ready to compete. 

“With the tournament, I feel like it's the last chance to really show the league that we aren’t going to give up the MVL any time soon and that we are getting better and better every match,” Romer said. “We have lost some games and matches to them that we shouldn’t have. This is a great chance to improve on those mistakes.”