Xavier tennis hitting its stride, state next

Xavier Prep’s tennis team played its final regular-season home match on Thursday (April 12) in a wind so strong that seemed as if it would require the players to be tethered to a stationary object such as the chain-link fence that surrounds the Stark Tennis Center.

With a 9-0 victory over Mesa Westwood in the books, the Gators now can unleash themselves in the Division I state tournament. The individual portion of the tournament begins April 20, and the team competition begins April 24. Seedings for both events are expected to be announced soon.

Xavier finished the regular season with a 12-2 record and the No. 3 spot in the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s rankings, behind No. 1 defending champion Scottsdale Desert Mountain and No. 2 Chandler Hamilton.

“All of our kids stepped up and did a great job,’’ said Xavier coach Laurie Martin. “It seemed like we played about half our season within one two-week period, didn’t get much practice, but that evened out and we have showed a lot of improvement.’’

Martin will have to move some of her players around for the individual tournament.

No. 1 player Tristanne Dechoux has been sidelined with a nagging injury of late and likely won’t be available. That normally would mean the spot would be taken by sophomore Erica Stutz. However, Stutz is expected to team with sophomore Emily Even in doubles and senior Maddy Corley would be entered in singles.

“Erica and Emily have had a good doubles season,’’ Martin said. “They are very coachable and they want to get better.’’

Martin thinks the team title will come down to one of the top three teams or nos. 4 through 6 – Tucson Rincon University, Mesa Mountain View or Scottsdale Chaparral.

Here are the results of Xavier’s final 3 regular-season matches . . .

Xavier 6, Phoenix Desert Vista 3

Singles

Desert Vista def. Erica Stutz (score unavailable)

Desert Vista def. Emily Even 6-3, 6-4

Maddy Corley def. Desert Vista 6-1, 6-2

Lorelei Glidden def. Desert Vista 6-0, 6-4

Kate Stegman def. Desert Vista 6-1, 6-2

Emily Good def. Desert Vista 6-3, 6-4

Doubles

Desert Vista def. Stutz-Even 8-6

Gildden-Kate Straneva def. Desert Vista 8-3

Corley-Stegman def. Desert Vista 8-1

Xavier 8, Tempe Corona del Sol 1

Singles

Erica Stutz def. Corona del Sol 6-4, 6-2

Corona del Sol def. Emily Even 3-6, 6-2, 8-10

Maddy Corley def. Corona del Sol 6-3, 6-0

Lorelei Glidden def. Corona del Sol 6-2, 6-2

Kate Stegman def. Corona del Sol 6-1, 6-4

Emily Good def. Corona del Sol 6-4, 3-6, 10-3

Doubles

Stutz-Even def. Corona del Sol 8-5

Glidden-Straneva def. Corona del Sol (score unavailable)

Corley-Stegman def. Corona del Sol 8-5

Xavier 9, Mesa Westwood 0

Singles

Lorelei Glidden def. Westwood 6-0, 6-0

Kate Stegman def. Westwood 6-0, 6-1

Emily Good def. Westwood 6-0, 6-1

Kate Straneva def. Westwood 6-0, 6-1

Phoebe Ransco def. Westwood 6-0, 6-1

Kate Greene def. Westwood 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

Glidden-Straneva def. Westwood 8-1

Stegman-Good def. Westwood 8-1

Ransco-Greene def. Westwood 8-0