Ankeny girls’ tennis coach Steve Smith almost couldn’t believe what he was watching on Monday.
His daughter, Kira, advanced to the Class 2A state tournament by winning a regional singles title at Marshalltown in spectacular fashion. The senior won three consecutive matches without dropping a single game and even recorded a golden set along the way.
“Kira won her first match in 32 minutes and won the second set without even losing a point, which is what we call a golden set in tennis,” Smith said. “I’ve never even come close to a golden set in my life, and I think I’ve only heard of (former Ankeny Centennial star) Caleb Peterson even being close to it in my lifetime. Kira was nothing less than perfect today.”
After cruising to victories over Madalynn Sertterh of Ottumwa and Caitlyn Rugger of Cedar Rapids Kennedy, the top-seeded Smith then recorded another double bagel in the title match against returning state qualifier Janet Toe of Waterloo West. She qualified for state for the third time.
“I think the main thing for me was to force others into errors,” said Kira. “My serve was also clicking, and I ended up hitting seven aces.”
Smith placed fourth in Class 2A as a freshman in 2022. She earned another trip to state as a sophomore, but exited early from the tournament due to a bout with COVID-19.
Smith spent her junior year at the Gomez Tennis Academy in Naples, Fla., before returning to her father’s team this season. The state tournament will be held on May 30-31 at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in Iowa City, where Smith could become Ankeny’s first-ever state champion.
“That was the most dominate regional performance I’ve ever seen,” said coach Smith, who was a part of the Ankeny boys’ fifth-place doubles team in Class 2A in 1993. “So, Kira is once again proving she’s the best tennis player in the household and our program’s history.”
Ankeny’s Satviki Gorrela also competed in singles. She posted a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ellie Downs of Marshalltown in the opening round before dropping a 6-1, 6-1 decision to third-seeded Autumn Schulte of Cedar Rapids Prairie in the quarterfinals.
“Overall, our team performed well with everyone winning at least one match,” coach Smith said.
The Ankeny doubles team of Lilith Francel and Sophie Schmitz nearly qualified for state. After receiving a bye, the third-seeded duo advanced to the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Hunter Caldwell and Emerson Keith of Ottumwa.
Francel and Schmitz then battled second-seeded Kennedy Feldman and Kate Sandvick of Marshalltown into a third set before falling, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. The Bobcats won five of the last six games to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the final set.
“Sophie and Lilith were so close to qualifying for state after winning the second set and taking the lead in the third,” coach Smith said. “I give credit to Marshalltown’s team as they just made more plays to close out the match.”
Francel and Smith went on to place third. They defeated Nellie Morgan and Jordan Lee of Ottumwa, 6-3, 7-5, in the final match of their high school careers.
“My heart just ached afterwards for my two seniors who have given so much to the program the last four years,” Smith said. “I know they are state caliber players, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to coach them all these years.”
Olivia North and Susan Hanley also played doubles for the Hawkettes. They rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Julia Thorne and Cara Crock of Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the first round before dropping a 6-0, 6-1 decision in the quarterfinals to top-seeded Sedina Begic and Anna Christensen of Waterloo West.
Begic and Christensen went on to win the title with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Feldman and Sandvick.