The new partnership of Sofia Steury and Sammy Knipstein may have blossomed Wednesday as the Bellmont Braves’ new doubles team came down from a 5-2 deficit in the first set against South Adams to win 7-5, going on to win the match in a second-set tiebreaker.
Bellmont won the match comfortably 4-1, taking the first set of each of the matches against the Starfires. The two teams were set to begin sectional play Tuesday but were rained out, pushing the entire tournament back a day.
When the two teams met back in April, the score was also 4-1, with the Braves dropping their match at No. 2 doubles. Steury and her new partner got the better of their opponents when it counted, though, and the Starfires had to settle for a comeback win from Shaylee Sprunger at No. 2 singles. Sprunger dropped the opening set but came back to win the next two sets with the team race already decided.
The Braves advance to play Adams Central on Thursday at the Bluffton IHSAA sectional. The Jets and Braves played exactly a fortnight ago and Bellmont won it 3-2 in cold weather. Bellmont got wins at No. 1 singles with Emma Fuelling and No. 3 singles with Lilyana Suarez, along with a win from their unbeaten No. 1 doubles team of Ella Ross and Averie Coats.
The championship is set for Friday, with Bluffton and Norwell to produce the other finalist.
Bellmont 4 South Adams 1
No. 1-Emma Fuelling (B) d. Olivia Oswalt, 7-5, 6-1
No. 2-Shaylee Sprunger (SA) d. Lillian Jin, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3-Lilyana Suarez (B) d. Charis Lehman, 6-0, 6-0
No. 1-Ella Ross/Averie Coats (B) d. Lanie Bryan/Grace Baker, 6-1, 6-2
No. 2-Sofia Steury/Sammy Knipstein (B) d. Calah Hill/Kyleigh Habegger, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
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