LITTLETON | Though the spring season is a month old, the Grandview girls tennis team played just its second dual match of the season Wednesday afternoon.
Coach Jeff Ryan’s Wolves showed fine form despite the lack of action, as they posted a 5-2 Centennial League dual meet victory over Arapahoe on a seemingly perfect day for tennis.
With wins at Nos. 1 and 3 singles as well as Nos. 1, 2 and 4 doubles, Grandview secured the program’s first victory over the Warriors, a traditional league powerhouse. The Wolves bounced back from a dual match loss by the same score to Mullen March 22.
Grandview’s returning qualifiers from last season’s Class 5A state tournament performed well, as the No. 1 doubles team of senior Ila Farhang and sophomore Eleana Welsh and the No. 2 duo of seniors Rachel Cullop and Yehna Bendul both posted straight set victories.
Rithika Ginjupalli and Mia Nguyen at No. 4 doubles rallied from a set deficit for a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 victory.
Touted freshman Haley Artis at No. 1 singles evened her dual match record at 1-1 with a tidy 6-2, 6-1 win and junior Amanda Olsen-Dufour also won her match in straight sets 6-1, 6-4.
Grandiew turns right around for a home Centennial League dual against Overland at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
GRANDVIEW 5, ARAPAHOE 2
No. 1 singles — Haley Artis (Grandview) def. Arapahoe 6-2, 6-1; No. 2 singles — Arapahoe def. Taylee Hardin (Grandview), 6-4, 6-1; No. 3 singles — Amanda Olsen-Dufour (Grandview) def. Arapahoe 6-1, 6-4; No. 1 doubles — Ila Farhang/Eleana Welsh (Grandview) def. Arapahoe 7-5, 6-1; No. 2 doubles — Rachel Cullop/Yehna Bendul (Grandview) def. Arapahoe 6-1, 6-2; No. 3 doubles — Arapahoe def. Juniel Figures/Dani Feck (Grandview), 6-2, 6-3; No. 4 doubles — Rithika Ginjupalli/Mia Nguyen (Grandview) def. Arapahoe 4-6, 6-2, 10-6