STATE GIRLS: Liberty’s Brokaw, Ingwaldson rally to claim doubles crown
RENO — After faulting on her first serve on match point Saturday, Liberty’s Aphrah Brokaw had the same thought she’d had several times throughout the girls doubles Class 4A state championship match.
Brokaw and Danae Ingwaldson had come within one point of winning a tense back-and-forth match against twins Taler and Amanda Brazell of The Meadows when she stepped to the line to attempt her second serve.
“I thought ‘I have to get this ball in or we might lose,’ ” Brokaw said.
Brokaw and Ingwaldson outlasted the Brazell sisters 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6), coming from behind in the third set to force the tiebreaker, then rallying again in the tiebreaker to win at Caughlin Club.
“When we were down in the tiebreaker, I thought we were going to lose,” said Ingwaldson, who had experienced losing in the state tournament last year, finishing third in doubles with Brokaw and being part of the Liberty team that lost the championship in a tiebreaker.
“It was my last chance, and it’s the most exciting thing ever,” she said.
“It was my last chance, and it’s the most exciting thing ever,” she said.
It was a match that both teams seemed on the brink of winning several times, and Brokaw could think of just three words to describe it.
“It was scary,” she said.
“It was scary,” she said.
Brokaw, a junior, said she was most glad to help Ingwaldson cap her high school career with a championship.
“If it was easy, it wouldn’t be as gratifying,” Brokaw said.
In the singles championship, Coronado’s Gabby Smith made sure there will be a first-place award to add to the school’s trophy case this year, after all.
After Coronado’s boys and girls team’s both lost championship matches Friday, Smith beat Rebecca Breland of Canyon Springs 6-2, 6-4 to win the singles title.
Despite being a freshman, Smith has plenty of experience winning USTA tournaments and was not intimidated playing for a high school championship.
“As a freshman, it’s fun to come out here and win the first time, not knowing what to expect,” she said.
Smith beat Breland the previous week in the Sunrise Region championship and said she knew she’d have to face her again in order to win a state title.
“She’s always been one of my rivals,” Smith said. “We go back and forth, and it’s fun to beat her in the finals.”
Chrissy Uriarte of Coronado claimed third place in singles with a victory over Tiffany Tavares of Spring Valley in a walkover.
In doubles, Natasha James and Madee Pasimio of Clark beat Conner Board and Mary Garcia of Reno 6-1, 6-3 for third place.