SALT LAKE CITY — It keeps getting harder.
That is how Rowland Hall first singles player Madeline Foley described playing Lisa Haroutunian of Waterford just after the semifinal match at the 2A/1A tennis state tournament on Saturday afternoon.
Foley defeated Haroutunian, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), in a marathon match that was the girls' third meeting of the season.
"She has played significantly better (each time)," Foley said of her opponent. "The more sets we play, she keeps getting stronger. I really admire her."
Entering the tournament with a No. 1 seed, Foley had to rally after a first-set loss to beat junior JoAnna Matyjasik of St. Joseph, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, and capture the individual state title.
"Last year, she played JoAnna in the finals as well, where she lost another close three-setter," Rowland Hall head coach Tim Sleeper said. "It wasn't the only thing, but that definitely inspired her to improve in the offseason."
There were moments in both the semifinal and final matches where Foley's opponents were able to make a run, most notably Matyjasik's quick first-set victory. Each time, however, the sophomore bounced back into control.
"She's obviously getting better athletically, but so is JoAnna," Sleeper said. "The mental side is what she's worked on most, and her brain was in tune today."
Foley's championship also added five points to the Rowland Hall team total, which ended at 17, enough for a team state title.
"I never thought we couldn't win, but I thought it would be really tough," Sleeper said. "They (Rowland Hall) came out and did exactly what they needed to. They stayed mentally tough and physically exhausted themselves chasing every ball down."
Rowland Hall, Waterford and St. Joseph each had three representatives in the five championship matches, with second singles player Zoe Gregoric of Wasatch Academy filling the only other spot. The Winged Lion came out on top in each of their finals with Waterford and St. Joseph winning one apiece.
In all but one division, the player entering the tournament as the first seed from the North Region went on to win the championship. The exception was Waterford senior Stephi Adondakis, who started as a No. 2 seed from the North. She was the champion in the second singles division, helping her Ravens tally 12 points and a second-place team finish, edging the Jayhawks by just one point.
Scout Swenson, a sophomore from Rowland Hall, blew past the competition, giving up just five games on her way to the third singles title, and her teammates Ashley Bostrom and Sarah Mian were crowned second doubles champions.
After losing a close first set, juniors Ivee Barton and Natalia Behnken of St. Joseph rallied to roll through the final two on their way to the first doubles gold medal.
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