WOOSTER–Orange freshman Genevieve Hayden advanced to the final four at the 2024 OHSAA Division II state tennis tournament at Wooster College.
Hayden was one of seven Chagrin Valley Conference tennis players to compete at the state tournament on Thursday.
To advance to the Final Four, Hayden won her first-round match 6-0, 6-0 over Norwalk’s Ana Osborn, and in the quarterfinals, she defeated Hamilton Badin’s Caroline Boyle, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.
After advancing, Hayden said that in the first match of the day, she was able to warm up in the cold weather and get used to the courts.
“(In) the second match, had a good opponent, got the first, struggled in the second, and was able to come back and take the third set,” Hayden said.
Orange head coach Rich Boles said that Hayden did a good job of remaining focused and overcoming adversity in her quarterfinal match.
“I thought, obviously, the second set got away from her out there today, but she was able to just regroup and do better in the third set,” he said.
In addition to Hayden advancing to the final four, Hawken junior Dani Forte advanced to the final eight when she defeated Dayton Chaminade’s Ansley Violette, 6-1, 6-1. In the final eight, Forte dropped a 3-6, 5-7 to Bexley’s Amiya Bowles.
The Orange doubles team of Lilly Guiler and Adele Tokmazeysky also advanced to the final eight with their 6-0, 6-0 victory over Logan Elm’s Ally Berger and Kaylee Ross. In the quarterfinals, they lost 0-6, 1-6 to Indian Hill’s Caroline Brown and Cassie Larsen.
Perry’s Audrey Austin and Hawken’s doubles team of Bella Hsieh and Valeria Kislyansky also competed at the state tournament.
Austin lost in the first round to Indian Hill’s Sophia Thompson, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6.
Hsieh and Kislyansky lost in the first round to Ottawa Hills’ Taylor Kayse and Bryn Tangeman.
The state tournament continues on Friday at 9:00 a.m. as Orange’s Hayden will face Eaton’s Mallory Hitchcock for a berth in the state championship match.
