DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
DECATUR – The final home match of the season for Bellmont brought a big of fun and intrigue as classmates and best friends Emy Faurote and Olivia Selking campaigned for an opportunity to play together as a doubles pair and were granted that opportunity by head coach Kyle Arnold. The pair dominated their match and won while also allowing sophomore Leila Jin to bump up to No. 1 singles, where she picked up a hard-fought three-set victory to clinch the match for the Braves.
“We played four times this week, so it made sense to make the change tonight,” said Arnold. “We know we are losing Liv and Emy, so it was good to let some of the younger singles players get some singles experience at a higher level.”
Despite losses at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, Arnold liked what he saw from Lillian Jin and Lucie McIntire.
“They both played hard and adjusted throughout their match,” he noted.
Leila Jin dropped the first set at 6-4, but came back to win the second and force a third set. She got the break of serve she needed to win her match and the team match.
“Leila was the decider tonight and I was very proud of her effort and fight,” said Arnold. “She likely will find herself as No. 1 next year. There’s a big jump from No. 3 to No. 1 and the style of play is vastly different. Leila made some great adjustments and found herself winning after a three-hour match.
Arnold noted that the junior varsity pulled off a 5-4 win just seconds before the rain set in on the Bellmont courts.
So busy was the week for the team ahead of next week’s sectional that Arnold barely had time to provide results from Thursday’s match at DeKalb.
“It’s been busy, but I want to make sure people know that Liv (Selking) finished the year undefeated in singles play in the conference. She beat every other No. 1 in the conference.”
The Braves beat DeKalb 3-2 and finished the year tied for second place with a record of 5-2 in the NE8. Norwell won the conference.
Varsity Results
Bellmont 3 Blackhawk Christian 2
Singles
No. 1-Leila Jin (B) d. Liz Pickett, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
No. 2-Avery Elsworth (BC) d. Lillian Jin, 6-2, 6-0
No. 3-Tessa Zolman (BC) d. Lucie McIntire, 6-2, 7-5
Doubles
No. 1-Olivia Selking/Emy Faurote (B) d. Mackenna Koepp/Josie Fritcha, 6-0, 6-0
No. 2-Isabelle Ortiz/Marisol Jackson (B) d. June Faupel/Nora Faupel, 6-1, 6-0
Junior Varsity
Ella Callahan (BC) d. Emma Fuelling, 6-4
Kaleigh Shambach (BC) d. Courtney Arrington, 6-1
Ella Callahan (BC) d. Meryl Kukelhan, 7-6 (7-2)
Kaleigh Shambach (BC) d. Rachel Bonifas, 6-1
Alyssa Coffey/Kaelyn Snyder (B) d. Mckara Zimmerman/Kate Varner, 6-2
Vanessa Hebble/Vienna Braun (B) d. Ella Risch/Amaya Smith, 6-2
Regan Knous/Sydnee Farmer (B) d. Ella Faupel/Kayla Greenwalt, 6-0
Ella Ross/Ashley Baker (B) d. Lilly Sorenson/Emily Stancavage, 6-0
Izzy Krull/Lilyana Suarez (B) d. Gloria Cochran/Mallery Brubaker, 6-1