Ross’ Gillian Gallagher hits a baseline shot Saturday during the sectional tournament championship match. RSR/Tony Zimmerman
FREMONT – Playing a team that made few mistakes, Gillian Gallagher and Lily Abdoo had to play a similarly mistake-free match Saturday morning.
Fremont Ross’ No. 1 doubles team, playing in the sectional tournament championship, played well, but not flawless. Gallagher and Abdoo finished runner-up in the tournament after suffering a 4-6, 4-6 defeat at the hands of Ashland’s No. 1 doubles team of Mary Mooney and Kaelin Frazee.
The Lady Giants will have a No. 2 seed in next week’s district tournament, which begins Thursday at 10 a.m. at Bowling Green State University.
“They kind of went in waves,” Ross coach Lisa Wolfe said. “They played a great game and then the next game it seemed like maybe their feet weren’t working. It wasn’t as smooth.”
The Lady Giants were tied 4-4 in the first set before Ashland won the next two points to take the first set.
Ross’ Lily Abdoo hits a shot Saturday during the sectional tournament championship match. RSR/Tony Zimmerman
“I feel like we played very well, they just hit everything back and we made little mistakes, like not hitting hard enough because they hit back any floaters we had,” Abdoo said. “I don’t think they were hard opponents, but they knew how to play.”
Ross started out strong in the second set, winning the first two games and then taking a 4-3 lead. Like the first set, however, Ashland finished strong. The Arrows swept the next game to tie the set 4-4 before breaking Ross’ serve to take the lead. The Arrows closed out the match in the next game.
“Baseline shots timing was off,” Wolfe said. “It seemed like net shots, I don’t know, I think they could have been more aggressive at the net. That’s what we preach. You play aggressive net, you’re going to win points. Just didn’t happen today.”
The drawing for the district bracket will take place Monday. If Gallagher and Abdoo advance out of the second round, they’ll advance to the second day of the tournament, to be played Saturday in Port Clinton. There, they’ll have to win a third match to advance to the championship and clinch a place at the state tournament.
The Lady Giants know what areas of their game they need to tighten up going into the district.
“Keep it away from the net person, low-to-high, no errors,” Gallagher said.
Ross’ Gillian Gallagher serves Saturday during the sectional tournament championship match. RSR/Tony Zimmerman