Girls Tennis: Oswego second, Oswego East fourth at Southwest Prairie Conference meet

PLAINFIELD – Oswego took second place and Oswego East was fourth at the Southwest Prairie Conference meet which concluded this past Friday in Plainfield.

Oswego freshman Savannah Millard took second at No. 1 singles, winning her first two matches before losing to Plainfield North’s Jessica Kovalcik in the final. Oswego senior Nicole Ely was second at No. 3 singles, winning her first two matches before a loss to West Aurora’s Avery Michels in the final. Oswego seniors Lauren Petrauskas and Sharanya Bengur took second at No. 2 doubles. Oswego’s Sofia Carr and Riley Fioresti took fourth at No. 1 doubles and Rylie McNanna and Bri Yackley took third at No. 3 doubles.

Oswego East’s No. 1 doubles team of seniors Jasmine Chan and Sofia Calafos finished off an undefeated conference season with a conference tournament championship at No. 1 doubles, beating Plainfield North’s Thea Salcedo and Isabelle Wallin 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the final.

“We had a really close dual match with Minooka at the end of the season and I remember talking to them and saying if things don’t go our way in sectionals, their senior year this was all about conference, finishing undefeated the way they wanted,” Oswego East coach Pete Conrad said. “We lost the second set against Plainfield North and had the same conversation. They both stepped up big in that third set. They played some of their best tennis against a good North team.”

At No. 2 singles Oswego East freshman Samantha Stevens finished second in the tournament.

“She had a really nice season, a developing player, a consistent tennis player,” Conrad said. “One thing we’ve talked about is her future beyond high school and what it takes to get to the next step. What we tried to do this year is to hold to her ability, not get out of that comfort zone and ride that ability. She did that well. We lost to Plainfield North’s No. 2 player. On any other team that girl is No. 1.”

At No. 2 doubles Oswego East senior Kate Lindsay and sophomore Emi Busuioc finished the tournament in third place.

“They had a disappointing semifinals match, thought they would be playing for the championship, butt credit to Oswego for playing great,” Conrad said. “I’m proud of the girls. When you think you’re going to be playing for a championship, you can pull that disappointment into the next round. The girls did what they needed to do in that third-place match and played really.

“They didn’t start the year as teammates, we made the move during the season. My concern early on was that they are two baseline players so I was concerned about net play, but they won their last match with net play. They took what they needed to improve on and used it as a strength.”

Yorkville’s Aleisha Peterson and Kaitlyn Rojas took fourth at No. 3 doubles.

Both Oswegos and Yorkville will be in action this weekend at the loaded Class 2A Benet Sectional that includes schools from Naperville and Wheaton Warrenville South.

“If our No. 1 doubles can come up with their absolute best match they can hang with anybody. They have losses to Waubonsie Valley, Metea Valley and Wheaton South so hopefully we’ll get another crack at them,” Conrad said. “With a little bit of a luck of the draw there is a path to get to state.”