Cor Jesu's Hong, Kirkwood's Alleria earn state singles berths; Lindbergh sweeps doubles

By Bill Hester, Special to the Post-Dispatch

Kirkwood High tennis player Hadley Alleria always held out hope she would be able to compete in the postseason during her senior season.

It looked questionable as Alleria missed about four months of tennis with a back and hip injury.

She got her feet wet by playing in the final three matches of the regular season for the Pioneers.

There was some rust in her game, but she was able to play in the Class 3 District 1 girls tennis tournament and won her pivotal semifinal match Friday against Mariam Raina of Parkway South, 6-4, 6-0, at Kirkwood Park.

That victory qualified Allaria to Missouri's Class 3 state tournament Oct. 24-25 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield. The top two finishers in singles and doubles from each of the eight districts around the state comprise the state tournament field of 16.

It will be the second trip to state for Allaria, who hopes to continue playing tennis in college. She played in rugged districts her first two seasons but qualified in singles last year, winning a medal with an eighth-place finish.

“My goal last year was to enjoy the experience at state and it was great to win a medal,” Allaria said. “I loved it there and am so excited to go back. I hope to win another medal and be a little higher on the podium.”

Allaria said she feels close to 100 percent physically.

“I need to take some precautions, but I feel pretty good,” Allaria said. “I’m still trying to get back with the mental side.”

Cor Jesu junior Angelina Hong will go to state as a district champion as she defeated Allaria in the final, 6-3, 6-0.

Hong had to defeat another Kirkwood player, Annie Elias, to make it to state for the second time. Hong and Kate Cooper went last year in doubles.

She forced a second set tiebreaker after trailing 6-5 and 30-0 in the second set. She won the first three points of the tiebreaker en route to winning 7-4 to avoid a match tiebreaker for the third set. Hong had won the first set 6-3.

“I hate tiebreakers so I was glad to avoid the match tiebreaker with everything on the line,” Hong said.

Lindbergh qualified its top four players, who played against each other for the district doubles title Friday.

Three of the four state qualifiers are seniors, including district champions Kate Davidson and Belle Daniels. Davidson and Daniels, who played No. 1 and 2 singles respectively for the Flyers, qualified for state for the third time.

Senior Olivia Matejcic and junior Helen Froidl will join their teammates at state.