West duo cap individual careers with runner-up finish

IOWA CITY - It was the end of their individual road.

They didn't return to the ultimate destination, but it proved to be a fantastic journey.

Iowa City West's Lilli Oetting and Lola White-Baer capped their individual prep careers with a runner-up finish at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Class 2A singles and doubles tournament Friday at the University of Iowa Tennis Center.

Their bid for a second straight doubles crown was denied by a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Sophia Smarandescu and Diane Wang of Ames. It was part of a championship sweep for the Little Cyclones. Jessica King beat Des Moines Roosevelt's Libby Caris, 6-2, 6-2, in the finals, claiming the first singles state title in Ames history.

Oetting and White-Baer had been one of the top doubles teams the last three seasons, placing fifth in 2009 before last year's title.

"It's been a really long trip to get here," White-Baer said. "This was kind of our last chance, but I'm happy with the way we performed."

After a strong semifinal win to reach the finals, the West duo found it hard to get rolling in the championship match in hot, muggy conditions. Ames jumped to a 5-2 lead in the first before closing out for the early advantage. Smarandescu's aggressive play at the net and Wang's consistent baseline play, returning deep lob shots forced the Women of Troy out of their regular routine.

"It was hard for us to move into the court, which is usually our game plan," Oetting said. "That combination of styles made it difficult for us."

Ames built a 4-1 lead in the second. West battled back to pull within 5-4, but when Wang's drop shot fell in play it secured the win. West struggled to climb out of the early holes in both sets.

"It's always hard to get the motivation when you can tell they have momentum," White-Baer said. "That's always kind of tricky, but you always have to ignore it and start back over."

They both felt they gave a strong effort and that they played well enough to win. They weren't able to capitalize in crucial moments, which may have altered the result.

"I think we were just a few key points away from turning the match around," Oetting said. "I'm not completely dissatisfied, but we would have liked first place."

Oetting and White-Baer are 18-2 and have been satisfied with four years of playing side-by-side for the Women of Troy. Their relationship extends far beyond the tennis court as well, and Oetting said she wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's been great to have a friend through all four years. We could always play together and count on each other," Oetting said. "It defintely wouldn't have been the same experience without her.

"Even when we aren't the best tennis players on the court, she's still the best companion to have on the court."

West Coach Kay DiLeo praised the two key figures in her lineup the last four years. She said the pair represented the team and their school well on and off the court. She said she couldn't ask for two "classier" people. The loss doesn't diminish their stellar achievements.

"I'm extremely proud of them," DiLeo said. "You have to look past this match. They've had outstanding careers.

"They ran into an outstanding team in Ames. It was a great match."

Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Kali Hildebrand ended her prep career with a strong showing in her state tournament debut. Hildebrand teamed with Sarah Lasecki to place fourth. Hildebrand didn't crack the Cougars varsity lineup until her senior season.

"I was a little disappointed," Hildebrand said about two straight losses Friday, including a three-set match to Muscatine in the third-place match. "After I think about it there are a lot of teams in the state and being my first year on varsity it was an amazing experience."

For the second straight year, Lasecki played on an unseeded team that claimed a top-four finish. Last year, she was on the third-place team. She had played with Jackie Pedersen, who placed sixth in state singles, most of the year, but had a good feeling once she was paired with Hildebrand right before the postseason.

"I'm really excited about it," Lasecki said. "I'm glad we got this far again. I thought we'd get there and we did."

Pedersen became a two-time placewinner in three state appearances. She went 3-2 this year, adding a sixth to last year's fifth-place in doubles. She qualified in doubles competition in 2009.

Cedar Rapids Washington Coach Dan Reyner had the same confidence in Katie Hammond, who placed for the second straight season. Hammond topped Urbandale's Michelle Van Roekel, 6-1, 6-0, for third. Hammond's play is powered by her ability to assess her opponents, and she was dialed in.

"Analytically, she's the best player I've got," Reyner said. "She can read and understand how to play people.

"She fulfilled her goal. She's a fun girl to coach."

Washington's Olivia Brooks and Kristin King, who suffered a back injury during the opening round of the tournament, managed to place eighth in doubles.

Cedar Rapids Xavier's Lisa Cowden and Laura Birky finished sixth, posting a 3-2 record in the meet. It was the third straight medalist performance, placing seventh in 2010 and eighth in 2009.

Competition isn't complete for Ames, Washington and West. All three are in the 2A state team semifinals Saturday at the UI Tennis Center. Top-seeded Ames will play West Des Moines Valley with the winner facing the winner of No. 2 West and No. 3 Washington in the championship.

The day will include DiLeo's final match leading the Women of Troy. DiLeo will resign at the end of the season after nine years at the helm. Her son, David, will be a freshman at West next year and with the conflict between the boys and girls schedules she felt it is time to follow him and his younger brother's careers.

"You've got to follow family," DiLeo said. "I hate leaving the girls behind. It's been awesome. It's been a great ride and a lot of fun."