Vail Christian girls tennis squad advances to team state championship

The Saints rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Peak to Peak in the state semifinal on Tuesday in Edwards

News News | May 8, 2024

Ryan Sederquist

Vail Christian's No. 1 singles Jessie Allen returns a shot during the 3A team state semifinals on Tuesday at Homestead Court Club in Edwards. The Saints defeated Peak to Peak 4-3 to advance to the state title match against Colorado Academy next Tuesday.
*Ryan Sederquist/Vail Daily*

For the first seven hours of Tuesday’s 3A team tennis state semifinals, Homestead Court Club was a world full of silent serves and polite fans shuffling quietly — only between games, of course — obediently adhering to standard tennis etiquette. Then, Vail Christian’s No. 4 doubles team took the court.

“We had all day to marinate in the fact that it’s going to come down to our match,” a bubbly Grace Armstrong said regarding her and Linnea Iverson’s task of breaking a 3-3 tie with No. 3 Peak to Peak.

“Both of us are definitely the most entertaining players,” Iverson said. “We knew the stakes of our match, but we also both know that when we are goofy and more theatrical, we play better.”

Iverson and Armstrong hooted, hollered and high-fived their way to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 win, completing Vail Christian’s dramatic comeback from a 3-1 deficit and sending the No. 2 Saints to their first-ever team state title match. Vail Christian will face No. 4 Colorado Academy — which upset three-time defending team champion D’Evelyn in the opposite semifinal — next Tuesday in Denver.

Grace Armstrongs runs over to Linnea Iverson after the pair won the No. 4 doubles match to send the Saints to the 3A team state final.

“It’s unreal,” said Iverson, who melted to the floor after the marathon match’s final point. A junior varsity athlete last year, the senior — who has been honing her game since she was five — described traveling to her first state tournament of any kind as “a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

“It was an awesome day,” said head coach J.D. Webster, who nervously paced the two-courts all day as fresh powder pounded the valley, pushing all seven matches into the intimate indoor setting.

“I was praying a lot,” he said. “I’m just so thankful. Our No. 4 doubles and No. 3 singles stepped up — it takes everybody.”

Heidi Iverson returns a shot during the No. 3 singles match on Tuesday in Edwards. Iverson dropped the first set but won the next two to take the match.

Vail Christian dropped the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches to fall behind 2-0 to the Pumas.

“I feel like I played a really good match,” said No. 2 singles Juliet Studness after her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Sydney Lewis. “I started out loose and did a good job of moving her around and bringing her in short, but I think she won because she was able to get everything back.”

“I think our team has always gotten stronger every year,” senior Juliet Studness said. “We have the clinics here and they go year round, so it helps us to play more in the off-season. I think it’s helped us develop.” All seven Vail Christian lines also advanced to the 3A individual state tennis tournament this weekend in Pueblo.

Heidi Iverson rallied for a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win in the No. 3 slot, but the Saints’ No. 1 doubles team lost in straight sets to give the Pumas a 3-1 overall advantage.

“It was a challenge for sure. We played good, they just played smart,” said Summer Sveum after her and Sofia Elalayli were routed 6-4, 6-2.

“They were really tall players, so it was really hard to get the ball deep,” Elalayli added.

Summer Sveum gets ready for a volley as Sofia Elalayli serves during the No. 1 doubles match on Tuesday at Homestead Court Club.

Four freshmen kept the Saints title hopes alive. Alexa Blanch and Sabrina Nabonsal routed Josie Adams and Molly Kolachov 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in the No. 2 doubles spot as Carys Highum and Olivia Zajac simultaneously went to work on the opposite court, coming away with a 6-4, 6-3 win in No. 3 doubles.

“I was really scared, but I always am,” Nabonsal said with a laugh when asked if she felt any pressure stepping onto the court with her team trailing. “But we played them before and also won, so we kind of felt confident.”

At 6 p.m., every spectator and player congregated on the far court sideline for the final match. They witnessed Armstrong and Iverson nervously drop the first set 6-4 to Abby Fitzgerald and Jolie Sasseville.

“The pressure was definitely getting to us both,” Iverson said. “We were both having a lot of nerves.”

The solution? Defy decorum. Talk. Giggle. Entertain.

“It’s my thing,” Armstrong said.

“That first set I struggled because I was just sitting there thinking. In the second and third I was just like, ‘you know what, it’s my senior season, too.’ It’s like, this is the last time and the team is counting on us, so why not just go have fun,” she continued. “And words just came out and I stopped thinking and I started playing — and it was a lot better.”

Armstrong maintained light-hearted, jovial conversation with herself and her teammate after scintillating spikes and inexplicable whiffs.

Linnea Iverson (left) and Grace Armstrong (right) get focused before scoring the final point to win the No. 4 doubles match at the 3A team state semifinals on Tuesday against Peak to Peak.

“Wow, that’s embarrassing!” the senior blurted out midway through the second set, her way of humorously brushing off a botched opportunity at the net. A few volleys later, the prodigious talent — she only picked up the sport two years ago — betrayed her volleyball background, slamming home three straight points and officially flipping the script. With Iverson’s hard serves and Armstrong’s rangy athleticism up front, the undefeated pair overwhelmed the Pumas in a dominant 6-0 final-set win.

“It’s extra fun that it came down to us,” Armstrong said. “But our entire team has battled all season and worked so hard for it and everybody played great matches. It’s team state for a reason: we all tried our best and we ended up getting the win.”

“I’m just so proud of the girls and of this tennis family. This was our goal to get to this point,” Webster said standing amongst gathered parents, assistant coaches and players, all celebrating in tearful embraces. The coach turned and smiled wider than the 42-foot span of net in front of him.

“This is what happy looks like.”