LHS Sends Singles, Doubles Entries To IHSA Girls’ Tennis Finals

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School senior tennis player Grace Horky has become just the second player in program history to earn three trips to state finals competition. The school said Horky teamed with fellow senior Maggie O’Brien to place among the top four in doubles at the IHSA Wheaton St. Francis Sectional on Oct. 13, while freshman Amanda Lopykinski placed third in singles. Horky, Lopykinski and O’Brien will participate in the 2018 IHSA Class 1A Girls’ Tennis State Finals, which will be contested from Thursday, Oct. 18, through Saturday, Oct. 20, and hosted by Districts 211, 214 and 220.

According to the school, Horky and O’Brien punched their ticket to the state finals by winning their first two sectional contests in straight sets. They ultimately placed fourth at the sectional after defaulting their final two matches. They have combined for a 17-4 record in doubles this season.

Lopykinski is just the second freshman in program history to reach the state finals, the school said. She won three of four singles contests in sectional competition, including a straight sets victory in the third place match. Lopykinski will carry a 24-3 record into the IHSA State Finals.

In two previous trips to the IHSA State Finals as a singles player, Horky posted a composite record of 3-4. In 2015, she became the first freshman in program history to qualify for the state finals. As a junior in 2017, she won three of five matches, equaled the program’s best state finals finish by reaching the fourth consolation round, and earned third-team all-state honors from the Illinois High School Tennis Coaches Association.

Horky, Lopykinski and O’Brien helped head coach Chris Hill’s team to its 13th straight South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title earlier this fall, the school said.

Lopykinski was the champion in the No. 1 singles flight; Horky had won that flight the previous three seasons. O’Brien teamed with junior Abby Belsan to win the SSC Blue’s No.1 doubles flight. Other SSC Blue champions included junior Grace Magdziarz at No. 2 singles; the tandem of junior Ema Kaunas and sophomore Bella Pirie at No. 2 doubles; and the team of juniors Annika Swientek and Megan Zhou at No. 3 doubles.

Photos provided by Lemont High School.