The elite tennis players make it look so easy.

Almost too easy.

Take York junior ace Caroline Coan, seeded second at Thursday’s chilly Class 2A girls tennis state tournament.

Her game is a combination of elegance, fluidity and pure power.

The Duke’s winners often fly off the sweet spot of her racket’s sweet spot.

“I practice a lot,” the humble Coan said after winning three matches in straight sets at Rolling Meadows to earn a Friday quarterfinal berth at Hersey.

“She plays tennis with grace, doesn’t she?” marveled York coach Kara Dollaske.

And smarts.

“I know,” Dollaske adds, “she’s often calmly thinking, in mid-match, ‘OK, I need to change the speed of this shot or maybe try a different strategy now.’”

But don’t let Coan’s placid demeanor fool you. The respectful netter loves winning almost as much as she loves the game.

“I was lacking consistency on some of my shots last year,” said Coan, who reached the state meet’s consolation quarterfinals in doubles with her older sister, Josie, last fall. “I refined some things, and I still like to play aggressively.

“I’m now more confident that I can make certain shots. I entered this state tournament thinking, ‘I’m going to try my best. I’m prepared because I had worked hard.’”

New Trier (22 points) toiled its way to first place after day one of the three-day meet. Hinsdale Central and Stevenson were tied for second with 20 points apiece.

HC’s doubles teams, Lauren Panveno/Sophia Virmani and Sydney Shuster/Anika Sarai, will vie for semifinal spots Friday morning.

Wheaton Warrenville South, paced by top-seeded doubles players Riley Lepsi/Reese Lepsi (3-0, quarterfinalist), was tied for fifth (14 points), and Downers Grove South (10) and Waubonsie Valley (9) sat in ninth and 10th, respectively.

Among the other singles quarterfinalists: Downers Grove South’s Gabby David (a 9-16 seed) and Waubonsie Valley sophomore and 5-8 seed Lydia Parranto.

Reigning Class 1A state champ Benet, guided by first-year coach Brad Pihl, got bumped to Class 2A this fall and notched four wins Thursday: Emma Mahlik (singles) and Lily Lopatka/Meaghan McCarthy (doubles). But only Mahlik advanced to Friday’s action, after a Round of 16 loss to 5-8 seed Ingrid Fiedler of New Trier.

Class 1A: Deerfield stood atop the standings of the Class 1A girls tennis state tournament after one day with a point total of 22.

Hinsdale South was in seventh, thanks mostly to the dominant efforts from Addy Filipiak. Third in the state last year as a freshman, seeded No. 1, she’ll play in a quarterfinal at Buffalo Grove Friday morning.

Among the other Final 8 entrants were Wheaton Academy’s Lizzie Scheidt and St. Francis’ Elle Steffen.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20251023/girls-tennis/girls-tennis-yorks-coan-impresses-on-opening-day-of-state-tournament/