It’s been a storybook season for the Ankeny girls’ tennis team.
And it got even better on Tuesday.
The seventh-ranked Hawkettes posted a 5-1 victory over No. 10 Urbandale in the final of a Class 2A regional team tournament at Ames. The win allowed Ankeny to advance to the state team tournament for the first time ever.
“Seniors Tori Johnson and Anna Schmitz won the last two matches to clinch the state tournament berth,” said Ankeny coach Steve Smith. “Tori and Anna winning the final two matches for us to make team state was a perfect ending to a long day. Our seniors have been vital to our success all year, and today was no exception.”
Schmitz posted a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Abby Schipper at the No. 2 position.
“Making team state for the first time in school history is a super surreal and awesome feeling especially being a senior and clinching the meet with my match,” said Schmitz. “Overall, I just feel really blessed to be a part of this season and this history-making team with my friends and sister (Sophie) by my side.”
Johnson posted a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (6) victory over Kate Hinkhouse at the No. 3 spot.
“It feels amazing,” said Johnson. “It’s definitely an exciting way to end my senior year. We’ve all put in a lot of work getting to this point, and it’s been great to see that paying off. We went from having our first winning season since the split last year, to CIML champs, regional champs, and team state qualifiers for the first time in school history. Being part of that is something that I will always remember, and I’m so grateful to be one of the players making history for Ankeny girls’ tennis.”
The Hawkettes improved their record to 14-2. Urbandale finished the season at 13-4.
Earlier, Ankeny posted a 5-2 win over Ames in the semifinal round. The Little Cyclones (7-4) won two singles matches to prolong the meet, but a 6-2, 6-2 victory by the No. 1 doubles team of Kira Smith and Sophie Schmitz sealed the deal.
Those two girls, along with fellow freshman Payton Blume, accounted for seven of the Hawkettes’ 10 wins on Tuesday. Blume won a pair of three-set matches at the No. 5 position.
“Payton was clutch in her two third-set tiebreaks,” said Smith, whose team had posted a 9-2 triumph over Ames two weeks ago. “She showed what kind of a competitor she is today.”
Ankeny will host No. 1 Dowling Catholic (10-0) in the opening round of the state tournament on Saturday at 9 a.m. The Maroons won an earlier matchup at Ankeny, 11-0.
“We’ll prepare to play the state’s clear-cut No. 1 team on Saturday,” Smith said.
Here are the match-by-match results from Tuesday:
Ankeny 5, Ames 2
Singles–Smith beat Chen, 6-0, 6-1; A. Schmitz beat Cordoba, 6-2, 6-2; Que (Am) beat Johnson, 6-1, 7-6 (4); Li (Am) beat Otto, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (6); Blume beat Berg, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (6); S. Schmitz beat Campbell, 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles–Smith-S. Schmitz beat Chen-Campbell, 6-2, 6-2.
Ankeny 5, Urbandale 1
Singles–Smith beat Serdarivic, 6-0, 6-0; A. Schmitz beat Schipper, 7-5, 6-3; Johnson beat Hinkhouse, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (6); Dykstra (U) beat Otto, 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (4); Blume beat Danenhauer, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (12); S. Schmitz beat Dial, 0-6, 6-3, 1-0 (5).