Washington, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) crowned another set of team champions for the 2024-25 academic year at the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Tennis Team Championships on Thursday, Oct. 17 at Janet L. Swanson Tennis Center on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. In Class 3A, Mt. Lebanon won its second WPIAL title in three seasons, while North Catholic is a first-time champion at Class 2A.
 
Mt. Lebanon moved into a tie for first all-time in WPIAL girls’ tennis team championships with its 15th, matching Upper St. Clair. The Blue Devils previously snapped a 31-year drought with its 2022 crown, and won in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1991.
 
North Catholic is the 19th different school to win a WPIAL girls’ tennis team championship, and the first new champion at Class 2A since Knoch in 2020.
 
The top three teams in both classifications have qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Girls’ Tennis Team Championships, which begin with first round matches on Tuesday, Oct. 22 and conclude with the remainder of the tournament on Oct. 25-26 at Hershey Racquet Club.
 
CLASS 3A RECAP
Top-seeded Mt. Lebanon matched the WPIAL record for girls’ tennis team titles with its 15th, thanks to a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Bethel Park in Section IV rematch for the Class 3A title.
 
Mt. Lebanon (15-0, 8-0 Section IV) swept both doubles matches and won at second-flight singles to claim the championship. In doubles, the first-flight team of senior Sylvie Eriksen and junior Sarah Stroh were 7-5, 6-1 victors over Bethel Park (15-2, 7-1 Section IV) senior Cassie Sierka and junior Keira Ross. At the second flight, Blue Devils junior Allie Garcia and sophomore Maggie Meehan defeated Black Hawks seniors Amelia Lancet and Sara Walters, 6-0, 6-4.
 
The third Mt. Lebanon win came at second-flight singles, a 6-3, 7-5 triumph for junior Michelle Yang over Bethel Park sophomore Mackenzie Smock. The Black Hawks were victorious in the first and third flights of singles competition, with sophomore Cami Fisher topping Blue Devils junior Jackie Tang, 6-2, 6-2, in the first flight, and classmate Julia Gobbie netting a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Mt. Lebanon senior Ellie Tatel in the third flight.
 
In the third-place consolation match at Shady Side Academy (13-2, 7-0 Section III), the second-seeded Bulldogs defeated fifth-seeded Fox Chapel (13-5, 6-1 Section III), 5-0, to claim the final PIAA qualifier spot.
 
Mt. Lebanon reached the championship match with a 5-0 win over 16th-seeded Baldwin, 4-1 triumph versus eighth-seeded Pine-Richland, and another 5-0 victory against fifth-seeded Fox Chapel. Bethel Park dispatched of 14th-seeded Thomas Jefferson and 11th-seeded Peters Township by 4-1 scorelines, then knocked off second-seeded Shady Side Academy, 3-2, in the semifinals.
 
Mt. Lebanon will be making its eighth PIAA Girls’ Tennis Team Championships appearance and opens against District III fourth-place Hempfield. Bethel Park, a 2023 semifinalist, will play either the champion from PIAA District VIII or X in its third PIAA Championships appearance, while Shady Side Academy begins its 12th run at the PIAA Championships against District VI champion Hollidaysburg. The Bulldogs were PIAA champions in 2007 and 2010, while the Blue Devils’ best finish was a runner-up effort in the latter year to Shady Side Academy.

CLASS 2A RECAP
Top-seeded North Catholic joined the illustrious list of WPIAL girls’ tennis team champions, claiming its first with a 3-2 triumph over second-seeded Quaker Valley in the Class 2A championship match.
 
North Catholic (17-1, 6-0 Section III) earned the victory over Quaker Valley (13-2, 6-0 Section V) with a sweep of doubles and a win at third-flight singles. The top-flight doubles team of seniors Katie Hardy and Jessica Sinclair were 6-1, 7-5 winners over Quakers juniors Livia Jobbins and Jane Lenhard, while Trojanettes sophomore Samantha Falcon and freshman Macaria Stall won 6-1, 6-4 over Quaker Valley junior Parker Barnes and sophomore Hannah Stein at the second flight.
 
North Catholic’s deciding win came in a marathon in third-flight singles, as freshman Evelyn March came back to defeat Quaker Valley senior Jay Olawaiye, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0. The Quakers were victorious at the top two flights of singles competition, as senior Kirsten Close won 6-1, 6-1 over Trojanettes sophomore Brea Kelley, and freshman Avery Allan knocked off North Catholic freshman Delaney Kelley, 6-1, 6-4.
 
In the third-place consolation match at North Allegheny High School, third-seeded Hampton (14-6, 5-1 Section III) bested fifth-seeded Oakland Catholic (10-6, 7-0), 3-2, to capture the final PIAA qualifier slot.
 
North Catholic dropped one game over the course of its first run to the WPIAL championship match, defeating 17th-seeded Ellwood City (5-0), ninth-seeded Winchester Thurston (5-0), and fifth-seeded Oakland Catholic (4-1). Quaker Valley won its first three matches by the same scorelines, topping 15th-seeded South Park (5-0), 10th-seeded Indiana (5-0), and third-seeded Hampton (4-1).
 
North Catholic will make its PIAA Girls’ Tennis Team Championships debut against District V champion Bedford. Quaker Valley is in its 11th PIAA Championships and opens against District IX champion Elk County Catholic, while it’s the second straight bid for Hampton, who begins against District X champion Cathedral Prep. The Quakers are a three-time PIAA runner-up, doing so in 2006, 2007, and 2009.
 
CLASS 3A RESULTS
#1 Singles: Cami Fisher (Bethel Park) def. Jackie Tang (Mt. Lebanon), 6-2, 6-2.
#2 Singles: Michelle Yang (Mt. Lebanon) def. Mackenzie Smock (Bethel Park), 6-3, 7-5.
#3 Singles: Julia Gobbie (Bethel Park) def. Ellie Tatel (Mt. Lebanon), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
#1 Doubles: Sylvie Eriksen/Sarah Stroh (Mt. Lebanon) def. Cassie Sierka/Keira Ross (Bethel Park), 7-5, 6-1.
#2 Doubles: Allie Garcia/Maggie Meehan (Mt. Lebanon) def. Amelia Lancet/Sara Walters (Bethel Park), 6-0, 6-4.
 
CLASS 2A RESULTS
#1 Singles: Kirsten Close (Quaker Valley) def. Brea Kelley (North Catholic), 6-1, 6-1.
#2 Singles: Avery Allan (Quaker Valley) def. Delaney Kelley (North Catholic), 6-1, 6-4.
#3 Singles: Evelyn Marche (North Catholic) def. Jay Olawaiye (Quaker Valley), 5-7, 7-5, 6-0.
#1 Doubles: Katie Hardy/Jessica Sinclair (North Catholic) def. Livia Jobbins/Jane Lenhard (Quaker Valley), 6-1, 7-5.
#2 Doubles: Samantha Falcon/Macaria Stall (North Catholic) def. Parker Barnes/Hannah Stein (Quaker Valley), 6-1, 6-4.
 
PIAA PREVIEW
Dates & Location: Oct. 22 at various sites, Oct. 25-26 at Hershey Racquet Club
Amount of Champions from WPIAL: 21 (16 in Class 3A, 5 in Class 2A)
     - Previous Champions: North Allegheny (5), Peters Township (4), Sewickley Academy (3),
                                              Upper St. Clair (3), Fox Chapel (2), Knoch (2), Shady Side Academy (2)
Appearances & Best Finish:
     - Bethel Park – 3rd (semifinals in 2023)
     - Hampton – 2nd (first round in 2023)
     - Mt. Lebanon – 8th (runner-up in 2010)
     - North Catholic – 1st
     - Quaker Valley – 11th (runner-up in 2006, 2007, 2009)
     - Shady Side Academy – 12th (champion in 2007, 2010)
Last Class 3A PIAA Champion from WPIAL: Fox Chapel (2019)
Last Class 2A PIAA Champion from WPIAL: Knoch (2022)

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