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At first glance, Churchill junior No. 1 singles player Lauren Pinsky looks much the same as she has the past two years: same slight frame, same hitting power.
But she is not the same player.
With a beefed-up ground game and noticeably more tenacity, Pinsky is no longer content to be a runner-up, which she was at both the county and Region II tournaments in her freshman and sophomore years.
Friday at Richard Montgomery, four days after winning her first county title, she defeated Quince Orchard's Melissa Minniti, 6-1, 6-0, for her first-ever regional title. The winner and finalist in regional draws earn bids to the state tournament next spring.
"This year she is really working the point and putting herself in position to close out points," said Churchill coach Ben Woods. "She has that will to stay in the match and provide herself the opportunity to close out points. I am looking forward to the state tournament. It is nice to see how her game has improved."
In the girls doubles bracket, two-time reigning mixed doubles state champion Sarah Macy picked up her third consecutive regional title, this time with sophomore Nicky Gottret. The Vikings' top two singles players defeated Walter Johnson's Sarah Andrew and Sarah Bernstein in straight sets.
Pinsky won her county title Oct. 26 in three sets over Bethesda-Chevy Chase freshman Anna Rozenberg. Rozenberg was down 4-0 in the third set before withdrawing with an ankle injury, but Churchill had already wrapped up its third consecutive county team title.
The injury prevented Rozenberg from competing at regionals, and a possible rematch with Pinsky.
ISL
Holton-Arms senior Gabby Devlin led the Panthers to the Independent School League tournament championship Friday with her first-ever No. 1 singles title.
National Cathedral School finished second, while Bullis rounded out the top three and Stone Ridge finished fourth. Devlin was twice a runner-up in the top singles bracket and won the No. 2 singles title her freshman year.
Freshmen Angelina Chen and Gabriela DiPaolo won the No. 2 doubles title for Holton. Bullis' Nos. 3 and 4 singles, Darien Sears and Ariel Holeness, won ISL titles Friday as well. Both finished undefeated in their positions.
WCAC
On Friday, Good Counsel sophomore Olivia Barkett avenged two regular-season losses to St. John's No. 1 Leah Garrison en route to her first appearance in the WCAC tournament final. However, Barkett lost to top-seeded Diamond Adams of Bishop McNamara.
Senior Nicole Webster also reached the finals, falling to Holy Cross' Claire McKenna in the No. 6 bracket. Good Counsel finished sixth at the tournament.
