Knoch, Mt. Lebanon claim WPIAL girls tennis team titles

By: Michael Love
Thursday, October 20, 2022 | 9:30 PM

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The Knoch girls tennis team is back on top in WPIAL Class AA.

And the Knights defeated a familiar foe to get there.

Knoch and Sewickley Academy, the top seeds in the Class AA bracket, met Thursday to decide the WPIAL championship for the sixth year in a row.

The Knights came away from the match at Washington & Jefferson’s Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center with a 3-2 victory for their second title in three years.

“This feels so amazing,” said junior Lindsey Greb, whose 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles clinched the title for Knoch.

“We kind of anticipated playing them again. As we both went through each playoff round, it became more of a real possibility. Any match we have with them is high-level tennis. That’s what we had today.”

Greb had her back against the wall in the second set of her match with Sewickley Academy sophomore Reyna Thakkar. She trailed 4-1 but rallied to win five straight games to score the 6-4 victory and clinch the match.

“This was my match,” said Greb, who played second doubles as a freshman on the 2020 Knoch title team. “I had worked all year for opportunities like this. I couldn’t let it slip away.”

Knoch and Sewickley Academy now turn their attention to the PIAA playoffs, which begin Tuesday.

The Knights will face the champion from District 5 or District 8 at a time to be determined at a location within WPIAL territory.

The winners of Tuesday’s first-round matches advance to Hershey on Oct. 28 and 29.

“I thought the girls played phenomenal (Thursday) despite the cold temperatures, the wind and other conditions,” Knoch coach Nancy Conlon said.

“We knew it would come down to some close matches at the end. Sewickley Academy is very strong.”

The Panthers hope to regroup as they begin state tournament play against the District 9 champion.

Knoch and Sewickley Academy would have to both make it to the PIAA title match for there to be a rematch as the Knights and Panthers are on opposite sides of the bracket.

“It’s going to be a big challenge in the state tournament,” Conlon said. “You are now raising the bar again.”

Knoch denied Sewickley Academy its ninth WPIAL title and prevented the Panthers from securing back-to-back crowns.

The Knights swept the three singles matches as junior Emily Greb and senior Ally Bauer each won in straight sets.

The Panthers countered with a three-set victory, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, from the No. 1 doubles team of junior Gwyn Belt and sophomore Anjali Shah. Sewickley’s No. 2 doubles team of senior Maria Silvaggio and sophomore Maria Sirianni also triumphed 6-1, 6-1.

“I am just very proud of the Sewickley Academy girls’ effort and heart today,” veteran Panthers coach Whitney Snyder said.

“They battled hard against an excellent team in Knoch, who is very experienced. Knoch got out to an early lead, but the girls wouldn’t give up. They handled themselves very well until the end (of the match). It was a hard-fought match as it always is between Knoch and Sewickley Academy.”

Blue Devils end title drought

Mt. Lebanon came into its WPIAL Class 3A title match with North Allegheny at W&J with 12 team titles in its history but none since 1991, when it finished as co-champion with Upper St. Clair.

The Blue Devils, the No. 1 seed, snapped the 31-year streak with a 4-1 win over No. 3 North Allegheny.

While ending the long skid, Mt. Lebanon also denied North Allegheny its seventh WPIAL title. The Tigers won six in a row from 2013-18.

“It is so exciting to be a part of this title,” said Carly Grant, a member of the Blue Devils’ No. 1 doubles team and the starting seven’s lone senior.

“We’ve worked really hard the past couple of seasons. To have this win this year, especially with it being my senior season, it means a lot to all of us and the school.”

Grant teamed with freshman Michelle Yang to produce a 6-1, 6-2 victory that sealed the win over North Allegheny.

“We have a ton of momentum now heading to states,” said Grant, who will help lead her Mt. Lebo team into a PIAA first-round matchup with the fourth-place team from District 3 on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

“We’re excited for Tuesday to get here and for a chance to get to Hershey.”

Also winning for Mt. Lebanon were freshman Jackie Tang (6-3, 6-0) at No. 3 singles, sophomore Sylvie Ericksen and junior Ana Clara Oliveira (6-2, 6-0) at No. 2 doubles and junior Sophia Cunningham (4-6, 6-4, 6-2) at No. 1 singles.

North Allegheny, which will open PIAA play against the runner-up from District 3 on Tuesday, saw senior Emily Wincko produce a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles.

“I am very proud of all of the girls,” North Allegheny coach Michelle Weniger said. “They’ve played very well all year long. Part of our goals was getting to WPIALs, and getting to the tile match is icing on the cake. Now, we are looking forward to the first round of states next week. There is still a lot out there to go after.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Knoch, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Sewickley Academy