DENVER – After finishing runner-up last season, the Cheyenne Mountain girls tennis team is back on top.
In a rematch of last year’s team state tournament on Tuesday at Denver Tennis Park, the No. 2 Red-Tailed Hawks won 4-2 over top-seeded and defending state champion Kent Denver to claim their third team title in the last four years.
“It’s just incredible,” Cheyenne Mountain No. 1 singles player Alyssa Sadri said. “We won my freshman year and then we took second last year. So, to be able to come out on top is amazing, especially since we were seeded second and they were seeded one.”
Sadri won the decisive and title-clinching match with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Kent Denver’s Lila Moldenhauer, who just on Saturday locked up her third-straight individual title at the individual state tournament.
“Looking toward this match, I thought I had no chance,” Sadri said. “Lily’s such an incredible player. She’s committed to an incredible college already. I’m just a junior. We were kind of counting up the matches we could win and we were never really considering my match as one of those. But then at individual state, I was able to get a set off her and for me, that was huge.
“Today, I was able to get two sets off her, 6-1 and 6-2. It just makes you feel really loved and cared for when you have all these people surrounding you and they’re so happy for you."
At No. 2 singles, Cheyenne Mountain’s Rose Katen won 6-0, 6-3 over Victoria Strobos. At No. 3 singles, Cheyenne Mountain’s Sophie Zhou won 6-1, 6-1 against Ellie Strobos.
At No. 1 doubles, Cheyenne Mountain's Saffron Heroldt and Mary Curry won 7-6, 6-2 versus Annie Goldmanis and Nora Rapp. The No. 2 doubles match did not finish before Sadri’s decisive victory on Court 1.
At No. 3 doubles, Kent Denver’s Samantha Brenner and Sofia Pina won 6-2, 6-0 over Grace Namnoum and Erica Levielle. At No. 4 doubles, Kent Denver’s Hallie Silverman and Margaux Lively won 6-1, 6-0 over Lauren Sharp and Charlotte Wellens.
Cheyenne Mountain is second all-time with 26 girls tennis team titles. Kent Denver is third all-time with six team titles.