Regional sweep by C.R. Xavier girls’ tennis

CEDAR RAPIDS – State tournament bids were the prize in 16 girls' tennis regionals in two classes across the state Thursday, and Cedar Rapids Xavier snagged a pair at the Veterans Memorial Tennis Center.

Senior Allison Jasper qualified for state singles for the third consecutive year with a 6-1, 6-1 Class 1A regional semifinal victory over Lea Lefebure of Camanche. Jasper then won the regional with another comfortable win, 6-1, 6-0, over Lefebure's teammate Maddie Parker.

'I like to feel like I'm playing the best tennis at the end of the year,” Jasper said. 'I'm starting to kind of get in the groove and I'm feeling pretty good. I think confidence is the big thing.”

Jasper – a unanimous first-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference selection who finished third in singles at last year's 1A state meet – spent the offseason improving her serve and maintaining a desired level of consistency in hopes of going even further in her final year of prep tennis.

'Tried to get out those double faults,” Jasper said with a laugh. 'It still happens, but I'm feeling confident on those. … Sometimes I get tense and I hit it out or hit it in the net, but consistency was the big thing this offseason.”

The Saints also claimed the doubles regional championship when seniors Jeanne Bouchard and Claire Bouchard rallied from a first-set deficit and defeated Page Edens and Alexa DeVries of Camanche, 6-4, 6-3.

'We know each other's game, and we know how to set each other up for that volley to put them away,” Claire said. 'We've just got to keep our feet moving and have fun together.”

Jeanne and Claire are identical twin sisters who have played No. 1 doubles all season for Xavier. The twins will return to the 1A doubles state tournament for the first time since they were eliminated in the first round as sophomores.

'It was a really high goal,” Jeanne said. 'It was one of our main focuses this year. We put a lot of time and effort in the offseason to work really hard for this.”

The state meet for both classes begins June 4. Class 1A will be played in Ankeny, while 2A will crown its champions at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center.

State singles' qualifiers in 2A from Thursday included a pair from both Cedar Rapids Washington – Kelly King and Jennifer Greif – and Iowa City High's Eve Small and Innes Hicsasmaz. Small qualifies for the fourth time, while Cedar Rapids Prairie sophomore Vale Caro is a first-time qualifier in singles after a late switch from doubles.

State doubles' qualifiers include Lilly Hartman and Hannah Sherman of Washington, Prairie freshman Anna Postnikov and Karleigh Schilling, City High freshman Bihotza James and Susanna Gianola, plus Iowa City West sisters Megan Jans and Abby Jans.

GIRLS' TENNIS REGIONALS

Class 1A

Region 6 at Veterans Memorial Tennis Center

Singles - Allison Jasper (Xavier) def. Maddie Parker (Camanche) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles - Claire Bouchard & Jeanne Bouchard (Xavier) def. Page Edens & Alexa DeVeries 6-4, 6-3

Class 2A

Region 5 at Marshalltown

Singles - Kelly King (C.R. Washington) def. Jennifer Grief (C.R. Washington) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles - Lilly Hartman/Hannah Sherman (C.R. Washington) def. Dina Kaitazovic/Tina Kaitazovic (Waterloo West), 6-4 6-0.

Region 7 at North Scott

Singles - Vale Caro (C.R. Prairie) def. Morgan Streff (Dubuque Senior) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles - Samantha Brisch / Riley Hubbert (Clinton) def. Karleigh Schilling / Anna Postnikov (C.R. Prairie) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7).

Region 8 at Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center

Singles - Eve Small (Iowa City High) def. Innes Hicsasmaz (Iowa City High), 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles - Megan Jans/Abby Jans (Iowa City West) def. Bihotza James/Susanna Gianola (Iowa City High), 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

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