CLEVELAND, Ohio – Gilmour Academy’s Caroline Koch and Grier Peckham continue to make history.
On Friday, the sophomore duo showcased their unmatched chemistry to claim the OHSAA Division II state doubles championship at the Lindner Family Tennis Center – their second title in a row.
In a rematch from the district final of two teams from Northeast Ohio, the Lancers’ pair defeated Dani Forte and Valeria Kislyansky of Hawken in a hard-fought three-set match (3-6, 6-3, 7-5) for the title. It was the only set the duo dropped all postseason.
With the win, Koch and Peckham become just the 10th duo in Ohio history to claim a second doubles title.
They end the season unbeaten while earning first-team All-Ohio. In the past two postseasons, they are 26-0 with two state titles.
Singles
A season after finishing runner-up, Orange sophomore Genevieve Hayden made history by overcoming top prospect Sophia Thompson of Cincinnati Indian Hill in three sets (6-4, 5-7, 6-2) to claim the OHSAA Division II state singles championship.
Hayden, whose only loss this season came to Thompson in her opening match of the year (2-6, 5-7), outlasted the 5-star recruit in a back-and-forth thriller. She becomes the first player in school history to win a singles title.
Hayden, the third-ranked sophomore in Ohio (according to Tennis Recruiting Network), dominated her way to the final, earning straight set wins over Uloedo Ezike of Lexington (6-0, 6-0), Mila Gelbart of Dayton Oakwood (6-1, 6-0), and Abigail Lynch of Gilmour Academy (6-4, 6-3).
The highly touted prospect (5-star) finishes the season 21-1 while earning first-team All-Ohio.
Others from Northeast Ohio
Gilmour Academy junior Abigail Lynch earned first-team All-Ohio with a third-place finish in singles. She lost to Hayden in the semifinals (4-6, 3-6) but rebounded to defeat Sophia Nguyen-Huynh of Laurel in the consolation finals. She picked up straight set wins in the opening round (6-0, 6-0) and the quarterfinals (6-1, 6-1).
Laurel freshman Sophia Nguyen-Huynh placed fourth in singles to claim first-team All-Ohio honors. She won her first two matches in straight sets before ultimately finishing top four in the state.
In doubles, senior Dani Forte and junior Valeria Kislyansky of Hawken claimed first-team All-Ohio. The Hawks duo nearly pulled off the upset in the championship, falling to Peckham and Koch in three sets. They dominated their way to the final, with straight set wins over Ottawa Hills (6-0, 6-0), Orange (6-0, 6-4), and Hathaway Brown (6-3, 6-1).
Hathaway Brown’s junior duo of Anna Mills and Ava Kamensky also had a strong showing by finishing third and earning first-team All-Ohio. Despite their loss to Hawken in the semis, the Blazers pair earned convincing wins in the first two rounds – defeating Maumee Valley Country Day (7-5, 6-2) and Columbus School for Girls (6-0, 6-1).
A pair of doubles teams from Orange – senior Lily Guiler / sophomore Ivy Berlin, and sophomore Adele Tokmazeysky / junior Raina Patel – earned second-team All-Ohio with opening round wins.