Another regional tennis crown for Crusaders
There is a certain sense of pride that comes with playing for the girls tennis team at Kapaun Mount Carmel, where the most successful Class 5A program resides.
With that pride comes expectations. But the pressure doesn't always stem from that.
"These girls put most of the pressure on themselves," Kapaun coach Kathy Schulte said. "They have high expectations for themselves to succeed. But there is a lot of history here and they know that. They take great pride in maintaining that."
Last week the Crusaders added their seventh consecutive City League title and Monday they added another regional title at Wichita State's Coleman Tennis Center. Kapaun edged familiar rival Bishop Carroll by two points.
"Our team realizes that we do have some pressure because we are Kapaun and we've always done well," said Kapaun's Abby Stevens, who bested the singles' field. "But we encourage each other and that helps because you always know your teammates are there supporting you."
Encouragement and support takes on another role for Kapaun, where the team does everything together — dinner, yoga, movies — to forge a bond.
"What we've learned is the more that they do stuff together the better they tend to do," Schulte said. "They are so close so when there is a little tension, they work it out and don't let it fester. That makes a big difference, it gets the best work out of everybody."
While it wasn't Kapaun's best work on Monday, it still sufficed. The Crusaders advanced both singles players — Stevens and Allie Schulte — but only their top doubles team of Rachael Baldwin and Elizabeth Pringle.
Carroll picked up added confidence entering state when the doubles team of Anne Feldkamp and Paige Lauer defeated Baldwin and Pringle in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1. The Kapaun team had won the three previous meetings between the two teams.
"That was a really big win for us," said Carroll coach Monica Peter. "I really just think their confidence grew as the match progressed. They've really been working hard at the net and not hesitating. It came together for them today."
Team scores—Kapaun Mount Carmel 20, Bishop Carroll 18, Arkansas City 14, Winfield 4, Goddard 2, Eisenhower 0, Liberal 0.
Singles—First, Stevens, Kapaun, def. Schulte, Kapaun, 6-1, 6-2; Third, Lubbers, Carroll, def. Oxler, Carroll, 6-3, 6-4; Fifth, Klaassen, Ark City, def. Burr, Ark City, 6-4, 6-1.
Doubles—First, Feldkamp-Lauer, Carroll, def. Baldwin-E. Pringle, Kapaun, 7-5, 6-1; Third, Saia-Headrick, Ark City, def. Jackson-Gonzales, Ark City, 6-2, 7-5; Fifth, Lindly-Smith, Winfield, def. Peter-Dorn, Carroll, 6-3, 6-3.