Tennis: All three AA teams head to State Finals as Pioneer set to defend title

The Pioneer girls’ tennis team netted first place at the Division 1 Regionals earlier this month and will serve up defense of their state title on June 2-3 in Kalazamoo. The defending-state champions finished first in all eight matches and grabbed 32 points at the D-1 Regionals to land in first place and earn a trip back the state meet.

All three Ann Arbor teams will head west this week. Skyline finished second at Regionals with 20 points, followed by Huron and Saline, each with 18 points. Monroe was a distant fifth with five points.

All four singles players for Pioneer are top seeds at the State Finals. Pioneer is seeded second in two doubles matches and third and fourth in the other two.

Pioneer junior Reese Miller finished first at Regionals. The defending state champ, who is the top seed at this week’s State Finals, defeated Skyline’s Erika Sauld 6-1, 6-0 in the finals. It was the only match in which she lost a game all day. Sauld defeated Huron’s Kamie Mueller 6-3, 6-1 in a semifinal match.

Pioneer sophomore Elsie Van Wieren defeated Skyline junior Maddie Slade 6-0, 6-0 in the finals at two singles. Van Wieren is the top seed for the State Finals. Slade defeated Huron’s Sakurako Esaka 6-0, 6-0 in a semifinal match.

Pioneer senior Mia Goldstein topped Skyline sophomore Vanessa Roche 6-0, 6-0 in the finals at three singles. Goldstein, seeded No. 1 at States, didn’t lose a game in her trip to the title at Regionals. Roche won a tough match in the semifinals, defeating Saline’s Mia Bae 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 to advance. Goldstein defeated Huron’s Zoe Zhang 6-0, 6-0 in her semifinal match.

The Pioneers completed their singles sweep as sophomore Bridgette Kelly defeated Huron freshman Serena Chang 6-0, 6-0 in the finals at four singles. Chang defeated Skyline’s Sana Schaden 6-3, 6-2 in her semis match. Kelly, also the top seed this week, beat Saline’s Kylie Evanson 6-1, 6-1 to reach the finals.

Pioneer’s one doubles team of senior Ashley Capelli and junior Juliana Pullen defeated Huron’s team of junior Julianne Cucos and freshman Katherine Ma 6-1, 6-0. Pioneer won its semifinal match 6-1, 6-0 over Skyline’s duo of Cate Weiser and Vivian Li.

Pioneer’s two doubles team of sophomore Mia Berens and freshman Natalie Guo defeated Saline 6-0, 6-0 in the finals. Pioneer defeated Skyline’s duo of Elise Stevens and Ella Rosewarne 6-0, 6-1 in a semifinal match. Saline knocked out Huron’s team of Mia Wamsteker and Julia Caird in the other semifinal.

At three doubles, Pioneer’s team of senior Aditi Ganesan and sophomore Eleanor Vogel won 6-1, 6-0 in the finals over Skyline’s team of sophomore Isabella Somers and senior Lauren Lee. Pioneer defeated Huron’s duo of Neha Gundala and Maya Fu in the semis.

Pioneer’s four doubles team of senior Chloe Warren and freshman Arella He defeated Saline 6-3, 6-0 in the finals. Pioneer knocked out Huron’s team of Ana Wilkins and Rumei Zha in the semis. Skyline’s doubles team of Edan Dietz and Lucy Stoy lost to Saline 6-3, 6-4 in the other semifinal match.