In past years vs. Springfield, Amy Ostrow’s Beavercreek tennis teammates would have quickly joined her in the stands to watch the reserves play.
Ostrow, Creek’s No. 1 singles player, needed less than an hour to dispatch Springfield’s Nicole Pavlatos, 6-1, 6-0, on Tuesday.
But she spent a long time in the stands following her match. Springfield is now no automatic W on anyone’s high school girls tennis schedule. Creek eventually won the Greater Western Ohio Conference Central Division match, 4-1.
Creek remains tied with Centerville for first place in the division at 3-0. Springfield is a match back at 2-1. Creek and Springfield are both 14-2 overall with matches left vs. Centerville — Springfield on Sept. 18 and Creek on Sept.25.
“Springfield is a good team,” said Beavercreek coach Charlie Painter. “They’ve gotten better and better each year. I knew this wouldn’t be the walkover it was once and had to make sure the girls knew that too.
“Springfield played us really tough at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles. Luckily Hanna (Duckro) and Anna (Jones) were able to come back at the doubles to take it (3-6, 6-2, 6-4). This was a big win for us as a team because it keeps us undefeated in the league.”
Sadhvi Verkatramani won for Creek at No. 3 singles over Nadisha Nezhad, 6-0, 6-1. Vinaya Gogoine and Karissa Jhangian defeated Kristin Campbell and Farah Chaudray at No. 1 doubles, 6-4, 6-1.
At No. 2 doubles, Durckro/Jones needed two hours to overcome Simra Ranginwala and Nadia Syed.
Springfield’s lone win came at No. 2 singles with Saarah Khan returning almost every shot from Creek’s Laura Harron for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 decision in a three-hour marathon.
Ostrow was aggressive early in her match with Pavlatos getting to the net early for easy winners to go up 4-0. Pavlatos hit some good backhands to take the fifth game. Then Ostrow picked up her intensity with numerous forehand winners.
“I felt like I played pretty well,” said Ostrow, the 2011 GWOC Central Division player of the year. “I didn’t want to give her a chance to get into a rhythm because you never know what will happen.”
Ostrow is now 12-3 for the season. “My biggest improvement this year is my footwork,” she said. “My off-season coach (Carolina Lopez at Kettering Tennis Center/Quail Run) had me doing a lot of running and quickness drills.
“It’s really paid off because my court coverage is so much better and I’m setting up a lot faster to return shots.”
Ostrow has not made a college choice but is considering NCAA Division I Bowling Green and D-III schools Allegheny (Pa.) and the College of Wooster.
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