West duo looks to continue winning ways together

IOWA CITY - Lilli Oetting and Lola White-Baer have made a successful postseason pair.

The Iowa City West senior tennis players teamed up when it has mattered most, winning the Class 2A state doubles championship last season after placing fifth as sophomores.

In their final season for the Women of Troy, Oetting and White-Baer will attempt to defend their doubles title, opening their first regular season as doubles partners and leading Iowa City West as teams begin the 2011 prep tennis season.

"This year we're actually lucky enough to play together during the season," White-Baer said. "That's exciting."

The last two seasons each has had a different doubles partner for the regular-season, making the West lineup stronger. When it came time to determine what competitive direction to take for the postseason, everyone was on the same page despite not playing doubles matches together during the varsity schedule. They were up to the challenge to face teams who had spent two to three months bonding and meshing their games sharpening their games as one unit.

"It is an obstacle they overcame, because they didn't have the luxury of playing every match through the high school season," West Coach Kay DiLeo said. "It's a tribute to them to be able to do that without playing with each other throughout the whole year."

The hurdle was easy for the 18-year-olds to clear, because they have played in United States Tennis Association tournaments together since they were 12. Oetting and White-Baer displayed a winning chemistry.

"We have played enough together it wasn't too tough," Oetting said. "It's kind of like riding a bike. You don't forget how to do it. We go back into it pretty easily because we had a long record of playing with each other."

Their record as friends extends beyond their tennis partnership. The pair became friends about the second grade when White-Baer moved to Iowa City. A few years later they began playing tennis at the same time, attending a summer camp at North Dodge Athletic Club. The friendship contributes to their success on the court.

"We started up and have played together ever since," White-Baer said. "We're comfortable with one another that if one of us makes a stupid mistake we laugh it off. There;s really no pressure when we play together because we both do it for fun. We go out to have a good time."

A good time is fine as long as it doesn't interfere with their competitive streaks. The fun-loving attitude is accompanied by a desire to win.

"We have a good time until we're struggling," White-Baer said. "We don't take losing as an answer. It's not an option."

Oetting said each doubles team has its own "vibe" and they're styles on the court are complementary. White-Baer has a more emotional and energetic demeanor, while Oetting shows less emotion and is more level-headed. Even though it might seemed reversed compared to their strengths, the mixture results in success.

"Lola is more of a consistent, relaible player. She can stay in rallies for a long time," Oetting said. "I have a strong serve and am more of an aggressive player. I think together we have the combination of staying in long points and being able to finish off the point when we get the chance."

Those traits were on display at last year's state meet. After a two-set win in the opening round, Oetting and White-Baer lost only one set in each of the next two rounds advancing to the finals. They defeated Urbandale's Brittany Lange and Michelle Van Roekel, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, for the crown.

"It did mean a lot to us," Oetting said. "It had been kind of a long road there. Last year was the culmination of many years of hoping for a state championship."

The quest for a second title is just as important to them. Their sights are a title sweep, defending their doubles championship as well as helping West improve last year's runner-up finish to Ames in the state team tournament.

"That is a major goal," White-Baer said. "We want to get a repeat, but also we want to win as a team because we were so close last year. ... We were too close to accept second place."

DiLeo will have some enormous shoes to fill when the two conclude their prep careers. Oetting has narrowed her college choices to Stanford and Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., with plans to study engineering. She said if she heads south that she would likely pursue tennis at the next level. White-Baer will attend Luther to play tennis in the fall and might study biology with her sights on pre-med. Both are role models for other players.

"They're just great young women," DiLeo said, "both on and off the court. I think that dfinitely helps our team."