Girls tennis: Thomas Jefferson wins SPSL Central battle with Decatur

The Thomas Jefferson Raiders took control of the South Puget Sound League Central Division title chase Thursday with a 3-2 win over the defending state champion Decatur Gators.

The victory improved the Raiders to 4-0 in the SPSL Central and dropped the Gators to 3-1 in league play.

Jefferson got a huge three-set win from Vanessa Sariego and Krista Nakamura at No. doubles. The TJ pair beat Decatur's Christina Sessoms and Jen Kanesta, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to win the decisive third point for the Raiders.

Jefferson's other victories came from Breanna Ziccarelli at No. 2 singles over Selina Schugarts, 6-2, 6-4, and Hayley Albrecht and Cherina Warnes over Alicia Hansen and Jessica Kim at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, 6-4.

Decatur got expected wins from Sara Lin at No. 1 singles over Averi Kitsch in a rugged three-setter, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, and the doubles team of Meghan Cassens and Chanel Carlson. The Decatur twosome beat TJ's Mackenzie Qualls and Caroline Min at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-1.

In other tennis action:

Decatur remained unbeaten with a 4-1 win over Auburn Riverside Tuesday. The Gators' wins came from Lin at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-2, Cassens and Allison Lewis at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 7-5, Sessoms and Kanesta at No. 2, 6-1, 7-5, and Carlson and Alyssa Hanson at No. 3, 2-6, 6-4, 16-14.

Thomas Jefferson moved to 3-0 in the SPSL Central Division with a pair of 5-0 wins over Federal Way Tuesday and Curtis Wednesday.

The Raiders' wins against the Eagles came from Kitsch at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0, Ziccarelli at No. 2, 6-4, 6-0, Qualls and Min at No. 1 doubles, 6-4, 6-3, Sariego and Nakamura at No. 2, 7-6 (4), 7-5 and Albrecht and Michelle Lee at No. 3, 6-2, 6-0.

Jefferson's wins Wednesday came from Ziccarelli and Lee in singles, Qualls and Min, Nakamura and Warnes and Mari Hamashima and Charlene Yamasaki in doubles.

Contact Federal Way Mirror Sports editor Casey Olson at sports@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565 ext. 5056.

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