Gaston Day girls tennis coach, Erik Ibsen, knew from the start that he was in it for the long haul when he took over five years ago. However, the past few years have proven to be worth the effort for Ibsen and the Spartan girls tennis team.
On Saturday, Gaston Day girls tennis secured its second NCISAA 2A state title in three years. They avenged their loss in last year’s final to Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill by defeating them 5-1 at Cary Tennis Park.
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Avery Shaffer, Margaux Nelli, and Alexis Ibsen secured singles wins in the state final. Additionally, the doubles teams of Emilee Ibsen and Shaffer, as well as Alexis Ibsen and Madeleine Singh, emerged victorious.
Gaston Day concluded the season with a flawless 18-0 record and their second state title in three years. The team previously claimed the girls tennis gold in 1990.
Notably, none of the Spartan singles players lost more than three matches throughout the season. Alexis Ibsen had an exceptional season, going 10-0 in No. 5 singles and 8-0 in No. 3 doubles alongside Singh.
The senior class of Alexis Ibsen, Jewell, and Singh bid farewell to Gaston Day’s tennis program in the state final. These three players played a crucial role in revitalizing the dormant program in 2018. After starting their journey with a 2-9 record, they helped the Spartans achieve an impressive 68-7 record over the past five seasons.
“We have three graduating seniors who have been on the team for six years after (daughter Alexis Ibsen) helped restart the program. They started playing together in seventh grade,” said Erik Ibsen, the head coach for the past five years as promised to Alexis.
In addition to the mentioned players, the Gaston Day girls tennis team also includes Bella Buckner, Natalie Abdul Jawad, and Zosia Sutherland.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCISAA: Gaston Day girls tennis claims 2A state championship
Jessica Roberts serves up the latest in the world of tennis. With a love for the racket sport, she reports on tennis matches, player rankings, and Grand Slam events, ensuring readers stay informed about the tennis world.
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