Lily Lengyel made it through a lengthy second-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles Saturday night to lead Scranton Prep to a 3-2 victory over Lower Moreland in the Class 2A final of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Tennis Team Championships at the Hershey Racquet Club.
The state championship was the second in three years for the Lackawanna League and District 2 champion Classics.
Lengyel and Cuck, who will play together in the state doubles tournament, each went 4-0 at the top two singles spots during the state tournament.
Scranton Prep won twice Saturday, beating Pittsburgh North Catholic 3-1 in the early afternoon semifinals. The Classics arrived in Hershey in time to defeat Erie Cathedral Prep 3-2 in Friday afternoon’s state quarterfinals. Scranton Prep opened the state tournament Tuesday by going to the Lehigh Valley Tennis Club and defeating Allentown Central Catholic, 3-1.
The Classics finished 21-0 on the season.
Lengyel defeated Khaya Lukov 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) and Cuck downed Abigal Yanovitsky 6-3, 6-1 in the state final.
Scranton Prep’s other point came from No. 1 doubles where Adithi Velaga-Maci Balzoni topped Jena Nikhil-Erica Zhao 6-4, 6-1.
Lower Moreland won at third singles and second doubles.
Natalie Chania beat Hannah LaCoe 6-3, 6-0 and Ava Raitman-Sophia Cherepakhin defeated Grace James-Donatella DeNaples 6-0, 6-2.
Scranton Prep swept singles against North Catholic, including Lengyel winning by shutout and Cuck winning 6-0, 6-1. LaCoe rolled through a tiebreaker to close out her match 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).
The Classics faced their toughest battle in the quarterfinals where they swept singles, but it was not easy.
Lengyel and LaCoe each needed three sets and Cuck had to get through a tiebreaker in the second set. Lengyel pulled out a lengthy match with Paige Patsy 6-2, 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (7-3).
Scranton Prep started the state tournament with the first of its three straight singles sweeps, dropping just nine games in six sets.
The PIAA state championship was the third for the school in five days, following up Class 2A boys golf titles for Cole Powell individually and for the team.
Abington Heights went out in the first round of the Class 3A tournament Tuesday, falling to Wilson from District 3 by a 3-0 score when they dropped No. 1 and 2 singles and No. 2 doubles, all in straight sets, at Birchwood Tennis & Fitness Center.
