PREP ROUNDUP: Venice High girls tennis team advances to regional final
VENICE — Nicole Cierniak did not qualify for the state tournament at No. 1 singles.
But the junior is determined to help the Venice High girls tennis team reach the state event.
Cierniak teamed with sophomore Mikayla Faure to win at No. 1 doubles, before Faure became the first to finish her singles match helping Venice to a 4-0 rout of Lakewood Ranch High in a Class 4A region semifinal Tuesday on the Venice High courts.
Cierniak lost a three-set match at No. 1 singles to Gulf Coast’s Kelly Richter at last week’s district tournament. That came after Cierniak and Faure combined to win the district's No. 1 doubles title and an automatic trip to the state tournament.
But advancing the entire team is now Cierniak’s goal. And only a home match against Gulf Coast stands in Venice’s way.
“It’s very important,” Cierniak said. “This is what we are trying to accomplish. We want to get as far as we possibly can.”
In Cierniak’s defense last week, she had just returned from a tennis tournament at 8 a.m. the day of the district tournament.
“I had 17 matches that week, but obviously that is no excuse,” Cierniak said. “The girl was good. She played her tennis. She was on her game. She was better than me that day.
“But I play her Thursday. I get a rematch. Yeah, I’m honestly excited.”
Venice earned a shot at the regional final by winning all four matches played by 6-0, 6-0 scores.
The No. 2 doubles team of sophomore Nika DeLong and freshman Christine Wu and No. 5 singles Adela Piskor, a sophomore, set the stage by winning early. Faure was the first singles player to complete her match, although the rest of the Venice singles players were comfortably ahead.
“We didn’t come in cocky; we were just prepared,” Cierniak said.
As for the format of playing both doubles matches and No. 5 singles first before the rest of the singles, Cierniak said. “I love it. No. 1 doubles, No. 2 doubles and No. 5 singles and then we just need one more. It’s more comfortable when you are hitting with your doubles partner to start off like that.”
During the regular season, Venice defeated Gulf Coast, 6-1.
Cierniak needed three sets but took down Richter 4-6, 6-4, 10-4. Her and Faure dominated the Sharks’ No. 1 doubles team 6-0, 6-1.
“It would be amazing,” Cierniak said about the possibility of advancing to the state tournament. “We are all such a big family. It would be an insane accomplishment.”
Lakewood Ranch finished 11-3 after its second loss of the season to Venice.
GIRLS TENNIS
Saint Stephen’s 5, Seacrest Day 2
CLASS 1A REGION SEMIFINAL
SINGLES — Carmen Merkel (SD) def. Maria Petrova 6-1, 6-1; Ella Dalzell (SS) def. Kily McCarty 6-1, 6-1; Mia Ferdnand (SS) def. Lily Fox 6-0, 6-0; Sophia Ierulli (SS) def. Eva Baldizzi 6-0, 6-0; Safiya Zhelombayeva (SS) def. Caroline Toberman
DOUBLES — Merkel / McCarty (SD) def. Petrova / E.Dalzell 7-6, 6-2; Ferdinand / Ierulli (SS) def. Fox / Baldizzi 6-0, 6-0.
NEXT: Saint Stephen’s at Community School of Naples on Thursday (region final).
Lemon Bay 4, Estero 3
CLASS 2A REGION SEMIFINAL
AT: Lemon Bay High, Englewood.
SINGLES — Lily Hinders (E) def. Jordan Shirley 6-2, 6-3; Meghan Lay (E) def. Marie L’Abbe 7-6 (6), 6-1; Rosey Lowder (LB) def. Kate Mackie 6-2, 6-0; Avery Shirley (LB) def. Emily McDowell 6-3, 6-1; Fabiana Artigas (LB) def. Sydney Ramsey 6-2, 7-6 (5)
DOUBLES — Hinders / Lay (E) def. J. Shirley / L’Abbe 6-4, 6-4; Lowder / A.Shirley (LB) def. Mackie / Ramsey 6-0, 6-4
RECORD: Lemon Bay (12-2).
NEXT: Lemon Bay vs. Bishop Verot, 11 a.m. at Three Oaks Park, Fort Myers (region final)
BOYS TENNIS
Lemon Bay 7, Estero 0
CLASS 2A REGION SEMIFINAL
AT: Lemon Bay High, Englewood.
SINGLES — Stevie Ethier (LB) def. John Brodeur 6-1, 6-1; Hunter Andres (LB) def. Jacob Guillette 6-1, 6-0; Billy Rand (LB) def. Evan Combs 6-0, 6-2; Gray Lowder (LB) def. Nicholas Snow 6-0, 6-0; Caleb Hutcherson (LB) def. Tyler Guillette 6-0, 6-2.
DOUBLES — Ethier / Andres (LB) def. Brodeur / Combs 6-4, 6-2; Rand / Lowder (LB) def. J. Guillette / Snow 6-1, 6-0.
RECORD: Lemon Bay (12-1).
NEXT: Lemon Bay Boys vs. Bishop Verot, at Three Oaks Tennis Complex (Fort Myers), 11 a.m. Thursday (region final).
Saint Stephen’s 7,
Fort Myers Canterbury 0
CLASS 1A REGION SEMIFINAL
SINGLES — Jake Pettingell (SS) def Kaden Kasar 6-0, 6-0; Max Pettingell (SS) def Andrew Kasar 6-0, 6-0; Tomas Martins (SS) def Joseph Cooke 6-0, 6-0; Ricardo Perazzolo (SS) def Dylan Moon 6-0, 6-0; Guy Dalzell (SS) def Isaiah Asbed 6-0, 6-0.
DOUBLES — Jake Pettingell / Max Pettingell (SS) def Kaden Kasar / Dylan Moon 6-0, 6-0; Tomas Martins / Ricardo Perazzolo (SS) def Joseph Cooke / Isaiah Asbed 6-1, 6-3.
NEXT: Saint Stephen’s at Community School of Naples, Thursday (region final).
SOFTBALL
Lemon Bay 15, Cape Coral 0 (5 inns.)
AT: Cape Coral High.
TOP PLAYERS: LB, Madison Kinkade (2-4, R), Izzy Brickle (2-4, 3R, 2RBI), Abby Matheny (4-4, 2B, 4R, RBI), Taylor Jones (2-4, HR, 2R, 3RBI), Ella Kraszewski (3-4, HR, 2R, 2RBI).
PITCHING: LB, Mackenzie Vaughan (4IP, 8K), Ella Kraszewski (1 IP).
OF NOTE: Vaughan and Kraszewski combined on a five inning, no-hitter.
Venice 3, Riverdale 1
AT: Venice High.
TOP PLAYERS: V, Rai Smith (2-3, HR, 3 RBI, R), Taylor Halback (1-3, R).
PITCHING: V, Karsyn Rutherford (5.1IP, 7H, 1R-0ER, BB, 4K), Layne Preece (W, 10-1, 1.2IP, 1Ht, K).
RECORD: Venice (16-1).
Port Charlotte 18, Bayshore 1 (3 inns.)
TOP PLAYERS: PC, Emma Jurisko (2-2, 2 2B), Trea Taylor (2-4, HR).
PITCHING: Gia Greaves (3IP, 2H, BB, 6K).
OF NOTE: Taylor hit an inside-the-park home run.
Sarasota 3, North Port 2
TOP PLAYERS: S, Rylee Miller (RBI), Allyson Becker (RBI), Ryleigh Bennett (2 hits), Brooke Bendel (2 hits); NP, Jewelie Vanderkous (2-3).
PITCHING: S, Ryleigh Bennett (7IP, 6H, 2R, BB, 4K); NP, Jewelie Vanderkous (6.2IP, 7H, 3R, 10K).
Lakewood Ranch 7, Fort Myers 2
AT: Lakewood Ranch High.
TOP PLAYERS: LR, Ella Coiner (4-4, RBI), Cassidy McLellan (3-3, 3B, RBI), Addyson Bruneman (1-2, RBI).
PITCHING: LR, Ella Dodge (15-2) and Ella Coiner combined for the win.
OF NOTE: Lakewood Ranch is ranked No. 5 Nation by USA Today and No. 1 in 7A by MaxPreps.
RECORDS: Lakewood Ranch (18-2), Fort Myers (14-8).
NEXT: Lakewood Ranch at Gainesville High, 11 a.m. Saturday, Lakewood Ranch at Buchholz, 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
BASEBALL
Parrish Community 4,
Lakewood Ranch 1
TOP PLAYERS: PC, Carson Allison (3 hits, 2 runs, 2B, SB), Calin Heath (2 hits, 2B, 2 runs); LR, Austin Parcells (3-4).
PITCHING: PC, Alek Trompke (4IP, 2H, 4K), Troy Guthrie (3IP, H, 3K).
RECORDS: Parrish Community (12-9); Lakewood Ranch (6-14).
NEXT: Parrish at Southeast, Thursday.
Calvary Christian 3, Venice 1
AT: Venice High.
TOP PLAYERS: V, Nick Dunn (1-2 run), Cole Schumacher (1-3, RBI).
PITCHING: V, Hunter Possehl (3.2IP, 7H, 1R-0ER, BB, 7K).
Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: PREP ROUNDUP: Venice High girls tennis team advances to regional final
