Gorman, Close Capture WPIAL Girls’ Tennis Singles Titles

Friday, September 24, 2021

Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) crowned its first individual champions of the 2021-2022 academic year, as it held the 2A and 3A Girls’ Tennis Singles Championship this afternoon at North Allegheny High School. Mia Gorman of Bethel Park captured the 3A title, while Ashley Close of Sewickley Academy won the 2A crown.

CLASS 3A RECAP

Bethel Park’s Mia Gorman defended her WPIAL 3A Singles title with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Peter Township’s Kat Wang. Gorman topped Mars’ Lauren Miko of Mars, 10-2, to begin the tournament yesterday, then dispatched of Greater Latrobe’s Carolina Walters by the same score in the quarterfinals. The senior closed out play on Thursday with a 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Maggie Stief of Upper St. Clair to move onto the final.

Wang defeated Shady Side Academy’s Rachel Nath (10-1), Oakland Catholic’s Isabella Liu-Lopez (10-4), and Greater Latrobe’s Jenna Bell (7-6(2), 6-1) to advance to the championship match. Stief claimed the final PIAA qualifying spot in the third-place consolation match, topping Bell by a 6-4, 6-4 scoreline.

Gorman previously defeated Pine Richland’s Elaine Qian in last year’s final in three sets (6-1, 2-6, 7-5). The Bethel Park senior finishes 14-2 all-time in WPIAL 3A Singles Championship play, claiming a pair of third-place finishes in 2018 and 2019.

CLASS 2A RECAP

Sewickley Academy’s Ashley Close completed a WPIAL 2A Singles dream debut, earning the title with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Knoch’s Ally Bauer. Close opened the tournament with a pair of 10-0 wins over Burrell’s Caroline Dynka and Valley’s Eden Richey, before finishing Thursday with a 7-6(7), 2-6, 6-3 victory over top-seeded Nicole Kempton of South Park.

Bauer also won her opening match by a 10-0 score, topping Central Valley’s Lauryn Johnsen. She then defeated Beaver’s Chloe DeSanzo, 10-2, before advancing to the final with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Knoch teammate Emily Greb.

Close was competing in her first WPIAL 2A Singles after not taking part in last year’s event.

CLASS 3A RESULTS [Bracket]

First Round – Sept. 23
#1 Mia Gorman (12 – Bethel Park), def. #16 Lauren Miko (12 – Mars), 10-2.
#8 Carolina Walters (12 – Greater Latrobe) def. #9 Amanda Koren (12 – Moon), 10-4.
#5 Maggie Stief (11 – Upper St. Clair) def. #12 Ellen Liu (10 – Franklin Regional), 10-1.
#4 Carissa Shepard (12 – Fox Chapel) def. #13 Jenna Beach (12 – Norwin), 10-2.
#3 Kat Wang (12 – Peters Township) def. #14 Rachel Nath (10 – Shady Side Academy), 10-1.
#11 Isabella Liu-Lopez (12 – Oakland Catholic) def. #6 Maria Lounder (12 – Moon), 11-10(6).
#7 Elana Sobol (10 – Shady Side Academy) def. #10 Emily Wincko (11 – North Allegheny), 10-1
#2 Jenna Bell (12 – Greater Latrobe) def. #15 Luisa Warnecke (12 – Mt. Lebanon), 10-5.

Quarterfinals – Sept. 23
#1 Gorman def. #8 Walters, 10-2.
#5 Stief def. #4 Shepard, 11-9.
#3 Wang def. #11 Liu-Lopez, 10-4.
#2 Bell def. #7 Sobol, 10-2.

Semifinals – Sept. 23
#1 Gorman def. #5 Stief, 6-2, 6-0.
#3 Wang def. #2 Bell, 7-6(2), 6-1.

Championship Match – Sept. 24
#1 Gorman def. #3 Wang, 6-1, 6-2.

Third-Place Consolation – Sept. 24
#5 Stief def. #2 Bell, 6-4, 6-4.

Advancing to PIAAs: Mia Gorman (12), Bethel Park; Kat Wang (12), Peters Township; Maggie Stief (11), Upper St. Clair

CLASS 2A RESULTS [Bracket]

First Round – Sept. 23
#1 Nicole Kempton (11 – South Park) received a BYE.
#8 Madilyn Rimbey (12 – Montour) def. #9 Rachel Schrock (12 – Valley), 10-2.
#5 Eden Richey (12 – Valley) def. #12 Hadley Kalson (12 – The Ellis School), 10-2.
#4 Ashley Close (10 – Sewickley Academy) def. #13 Caroline Dynka (12 – Burrell), 10-0.
#3 Emily Greb (10 – Knoch) def. #14 Rebecca McIntosh (12 – Ringgold), 10-0.
#6 Milla Ivanova (12 – Sewickley Academy) def. #11 Fiona Rubino (12 – Beaver), 10-0.
#7 Chloe DeSanzo (10 – Beaver) def. #10 Haley Spitznagel (11 – South Park), 10-3.
#2 Ally Bauer (11 – Knoch) def. #15 Lauryn Johnsen (12 – Central Valley), 10-0.

Quarterfinals – Sept. 23
#1 Kempton def. #8 Rimbey, 10-2.
#4 Close def. #5 Richey, 10-0.
#3 Greb def. #6 Ivanova, 10-1.
#2 Bauer def. #7 DeSanzo, 10-2.

Semifinals – Sept. 23
#4 Close def. #1 Kempton, 7-6(7), 2-6, 6-3.
#2 Bauer def. #3 Greb, 6-2, 6-1.

Championship Match – Sept. 24
#4 Close def. #2 Bauer, 6-3, 6-3.

Third-Place Consolation – Sept. 24
#1 Kempton def. #3 Greb, 6-2, 7-5.

Advancing to PIAAs: Ashley Close (10), Sewickley Academy; Ally Bauer (11), Knoch; Nicole Kempton (11), South Park

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