The two-year-old St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ tennis program had wins from all four sectional entries and two of the entries fell just one victory short of advancing to state.

Losing in the quarterfinals on Friday (Oct. 15) for the Spartans were junior Abbey Dow in singles and the senior doubles duo of Kelsey Martlage and Hope Rajlich.

All quarterfinal winners were guaranteed of advancing to state.

Dow opened the tournament in Danville with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Mahomet-Seymour’s Gianna Hill before falling to the eventual sectional runner-up from Danville, Lexi Ellis, 6-0, 6-0.

Martlage and Rajlich captured a triumph over M-S’ Megan Barnhart and Jadyn Hannah, 6-4, 6-4, before being eliminated by the eventual sectional runner-up entry from Danville, CiCi Brown and Reese Rundle, 6-1, 6-1.

The Spartans’ other singles entry also went 1-1 at the sectional.

Senior Claire Huffman started competition with a 6-2, 6-2 conquest of Champaign Central’s Kara Charney. She was ousted by eventual fourth-place finisher (and state-qualifier) Brooklynn Behrens, from Danville, 6-2, 6-2.

In doubles, the SJ-O unit of seniors Jacey Lewis and Allison Kearney topped M-S’ Molly Fried and Sophia Slupski, 6-3, 6-1, before falling to Urbana Uni High’s Lynette Zhang and Yeowoon Jung, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In the sectional team race, SJ-O totaled 12 points and finished in fourth place in the 11-school meet, one point behind Champaign Centennial.

Meet champion Danville amassed 32 points and was followed by St. Thomas More (22 points) and Centennial (13 points).

For the season, SJ-O’s cumulative season record in doubles was 27-13. The Spartans had 15 different combinations and 12 won at least one match.

The leaders were Martlage and Rajlich with a 7-3 overall record. Lewis and Kearney were 2-1 together.

Juniors Emma Rydell and Katie McDermott were 4-1.

In singles, Huffman compiled a 7-6 season record. Dow was 6-7. Third on the team in singles wins was senior Grace Schmitz, 4-6.

SJ-O’s overall team record in singles in 2021 was 33-39. Sixteen different squad members had singles matches and 12 earned at least one victory.

A year ago, in their inaugural season, SJ-O scored four points at the sectional and tied for eighth place.

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St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls’ tennis team was 12-for-12 in its Tuesday (Oct. 12) regular-season finale against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at the UI Atkins Center.

All 12 Spartans who took the court were seniors, the total number of seniors on the roster of the second-year program.

SJ-O swept the three doubles matches, but fell just short on the scoreboard, dropping a 5-4 decision to GCMS.

At No. 1 doubles, Kelsey Martlage and Hope Rajlich topped Lexi Darbutt and London Hixson, 6-1, 6-3, to improve their season record to 6-2.

The No. 2 duo of Allison Kearney and Jacey Lewis swept past GCMS’ Emily Hood and Syda Schlickman, 6-2, 6-1.

The No. 3 unit of Angie Chahine and Abby Behrens had a memorable match, defeating McKenna Crowley and Kadence Crowley without losing a game, 6-0, 6-0.

Thus far, the Spartans have employed 15 different doubles’ combinations.

In singles, the lone SJ-O winner was Grace Schmitz at the No. 2 position. She topped Hixson, 6-4, 6-1.

Two other Spartans dropped hard-fought three-set matches.

At No. 4, GCMS’ Schlickman edged Ella Armstrong, 6-0, 2-6, 10-7.

At No. 6, the Falcons’ Crowley beat Hailey Gaines, 4-6, 7-6, 10-4.

Overall, 16 Spartans had singles matches throughout the course of the season.

SJ-O finishes with a dual-meet record of 7-5. The team will return to action on Friday in the 11-school Danville Class 1A Sectional.

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St. Joseph-Ogden swept the three doubles matches on Tuesday (Oct. 5) at Danville and handed Schlarman Academy a 7-2 dual-meet loss in girls’ tennis.

The win assures the Spartans (7-4) of no worse than a .500 season with three dual meets remaining.

In doubles, SJ-O’s teams lost a combined five games.

At No. 1 doubles, Hope Rajlich and Kelsey Martlage, topped Maya Jenny and Anna Lehmann, 8-4.

At No. 2 doubles, Spartans Allison Kearney and Angie Chahine teamed up to beat Lilli Perez and Madi Watson, 8-1.

At No. 3 doubles, Abby Behrens and Jacey Lewis swept past Karlee Belton and Evy Kelsey, 8-0.

SJ-O’s singles winners were Claire Huffman (No.2), Ashlyn Lannert (No. 4), Emma Rydell (No. 5) and Katie McDermott (No. 6).

Lannert and Rydell registered 8-0 wins over Lehmann and Belton, respectively. Huffman topped Watson, 8-3, and McDermott defeated Kelsey, 8-5.

SJ-O returns to action on Monday (Oct. 11) for its Senior Night match against Maroa-Forsyth at the UI Atkins Tennis Center. The Spartans have 12 seniors on the roster.

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St. Joseph-Ogden won two matches in singles and two in doubles on Thursday (Sept. 23) to turn back Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, 4-1, in a girls’ tennis match at Gibson City.

In singles, Abbey Dow posted a narrow 8-7 win at No. 1 over Katie Steidinger.

At No. 2 singles, Claire Huffman was dominant against Audrey Iverson, winning 8-0.

SJ-O captured wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.

The No. 2 duo of Abby Behrens and Hope Rajlich overpowered Syda Schlickman and McKenna Crowley, 8-0.

At No. 3, Spartans Katie McDermott and Emma Rydell teamed up for an 8-3 decision over Emily Hood and Kadence Crowley.

SJ-O’s No. 1 double unit of Jacey Lewis and Kelsey Martlage were edged by London Hixson and Lexi Darbutt, 8-7.

SJ-O (5-4) returns to action on Monday (Oct. 11) against Maroa-Forsyth at the UI Atkins Tennis Center.

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Alison Kearney and Kelsey Martlage teamed up for a win at No. 1 doubles on Tuesday (Sept. 14), but St. Joseph-Ogden dropped a 6-3 decision in girls’ tennis at Watseka.

Kearney and Martlage edged Ashton Peters and Baier Rigsby, 9-7.

The Spartans also captured the No. 3 doubles match with Katie McDermott and Jacey Lewis. They handled Sarah Parsons and Tiffany Zhao, 8-3.

The other SJ-O victory came at No 6 singles with Lauren Lannert. She beat Zhao, 8-5.

Hard-luck losers for the Spartans were Abbey Dow at No. 1 singles, 9-7, to Peters, and Ashlyn Lannert at No. 3 singles, 8-5, to Rigsby.

SJ-O (4-4) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 23) at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.

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The Spartans won seven of nine matches on Tuesday (Sept. 7) to capture a dual-meet victory over Schlarman Academy in Danville.

In singles, Angie Chahine didn’t lose a game against  Anjoelina Anderson, posting an 8-0 win at No. 6.

Other SJ-O singles winners were: Claire Huffman at No. 2, decisioning Caroline Bogen, 8-3; Grace Schmitz, at No. 3, topping Madi Watson, 8-3; Ashlyn Lannert, at No. 4 beating Lilli Perez, 8-6 and Allison Kearney, at No. 5, overpowering Anna Lehmann, 8-2.

Two of the Spartans’ doubles teams also posted wins.

At No. 2, Jacey Lewis and Abby Behrens handled Perez and Watson, 8-2.

At No. 3, Katie McDermott and Emma Rydell beat Lehmann and Evy Kelsey, 8-2.

At No. 1 doubles, SJ-O’s Hope Rajlich and Kelsey Martlage fell just short in a tough match against Maya Jenny and Bogen, 8-5.

On Wednesday (Sept. 8), the Spartans faced their toughest test to date and dropped a 9-0 decision to Centennial in Champaign.

The SJ-O doubles’ team all have at least .500 season records after losing to the Chargers.

Rajlich and Martlage are 3-2 overall at No. 1 after an 8-4 setback.

At No. 2, Behrens and Lewis are 2-2 after an 8-2 loss. At No. 3, Rydell and McDermott have a 2-1 record after an 8-5 loss.

Dropping narrow decisions in singles were Kearney at No. 5, 8-4, and Ella Armstrong at No. 6, 8-6.

SJ-O (4-3) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 23) at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.

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The St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ tennis team swept the three doubles matches on Wednesday (Sept. 1) and finished off a dual-meet win at Watseka, 7-2.

The No. 1 duo of Kelsey Martlage and Hope Rajlich were victorious, 8-2. At No. 2 doubles, Abby Behrens and Jacey Lewis were triumphant, 8-6.

Completing the doubles sweep was the No. 3 unit of Katie McDermott and Emma Rydell, 8-4.

In singles play, Abbey Dow scored an 8-4 win at the No. 1 position.

SJ-O also captured singles wins at Nos. 4, 5 and 6.

At No. 4, Claire Huffman won, 8-1. At No. 5, Grace Schmitz prevailed, 8-4. At No. 6, Oliva Getty registered an 8-6 win.

On Tuesday (Aug. 31), Urbana grabbed a 6-3 win at home over SJ-O, despite the Spartans claiming victories at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.

Dow posted an 8-2 singles win at No. 1.

In doubles, the duo of Martlage and Rajlich won, 8-3.

The Spartans’ other win was at No. 4 singles where Allison Kearney registered an 8-2 victory.

SJ-O (3-2) returns to action on Tuesday (Sept. 7) at Danville Schlarman Academy.

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In all, 12 different Spartans participated in the match.

Winning in doubles were Hope Rajlich and Kelsey Martlage, 8-6, at No. 1; Allison Kearney and Angie Chahine, 8-4, at No. 2 and Katie McDermott and Jacey Lewis, 8-6, at No. 3.

In singles, SJ-O’s top two players were victorious.

At No. 1, Claire Huffman defeated Hannah Null, 8-3.

At No. 2, Abbey Dow edged Jacie Owens, 8-6.

Also winning for the Spartans was Ashlyn Lannert, at No. 6, over Matika Pounginja, 8-1.

On Wednesday (Aug. 25), SJ-O extended its winning streak by handling St. Teresa, 6-3, in Decatur.

Dow didn’t lose a game at No. 2 singles, topping Katherine Combs, 6-0, 6-0.

SJ-O’s other three singles winners each dropped just one game.

At No. 3, Rajlich handled Alexis Rayhill, 6-0, 6-1.

At No. 4, Martlage, downed Zia Boulier, 6-0, 6-1.

At No. 6, Lannert posted a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Emma Norton.

The Spartans had a hard-luck loser at No. 5 singles. Grace Schmitz dropped a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 decision to Joella Livingston.

SJ-O won two doubles matches.

At No. 2, the duo of Chahine and McDermott, triumphed over Rayhill and Boulier, 8-0.

At No. 3, teammates Emma Rydell and Kearney topped Alyssa Wicks and Norton, 8-0.

In the team’s first three matches, Chahine has had three different doubles partners and has helped each to victory.

SJ-O (2-1) returns to action on Tuesday (Aug. 31), back at Urbana.

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