Lemont Girls' Tennis to Send Singles, Doubles Entries to IHSA State Finals

For the first time in its history, Lemont High School’s girls’ tennis program will have state finals entries in both the singles and doubles competition in the same season. At the IHSA Sandburg Sectional on October 17, freshman Grace Horky earned a state finals berth in singles competition, and the tandem of senior Ashley Mathews and junior Gabby Rabianski secured a trip to the state finals in doubles play. The 2015 IHSA Girls’ Tennis State Finals will be contested from Thursday, October 22, through Saturday, October 24, and hosted by Districts 211, 214 and 220.

Horky is the first Lemont freshman to earn an IHSA State Finals berth in girls’ tennis. She punched her ticket to the state finals by winning her first two IHSA Sectional contests in straight sets. She ultimately finished fourth in the sectional after defaulting due to injury in the semifinal and third-place matches, but she is expected to compete in the IHSA State Finals.

The Mathews/Rabianski team, which is believed the first doubles team ever to represent Lemont at the IHSA Girls’ Tennis State Finals, also finished fourth in its competition at the IHSA Sectional. After a straight sets win in the opening round, Mathews and Rabianski bounced back from an opening set loss to win in three sets in the second round and clinch their state finals trip. They fell short in the semifinal and third-place matches to finish fourth at the sectional.

Pairings for the IHSA State Finals will be posted later this week.

All of the state finals-bound athletes helped head coach Chris Hill’s squad to its 10th straight South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title earlier this fall. Horky was the champion in the No. 1 singles flight, while Mathews and Rabianski teamed for the title at No. 1 doubles.

Horky, Mathews and Rabianski are Lemont’s first IHSA Girls’ Tennis State Finals qualifiers since Lisa Gawron ‘14 earned a trip in 2013. Jessica Urban ‘10 is the program’s most frequent state finalist, having advanced to the season’s final weekend three straight years (2007-09).

Girls’ tennis is the school’s third athletic program to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. The boys’ golf team qualified for the IHSA Class 2A Boys’ Golf State Finals, and freshman Maggie Micetich competed in the IHSA Class AA Girls’ Golf State Finals.