By Gina Garvis and Sara Laurie, Editors

The doubles teams of senior Amelia Napiorkowski and freshman Madi Jurcenko advanced to state after placing third in sectionals out of 20 teams.

The pair’s first sectionals match against Sycamore was lost 2-6, but Napiorkowski and Jurcenko pulled through to win the next two matches 7-6 and 6-2. They went on to defeat Glenbard North 6-3 and 6-0, then lost 3-6 to a top-ranked Bartlett team in both matches.

Napiorkowski and Jurcenko came back to win 6-3 in the first match against St. Charles North and won 7-6 in the second, with a tiebreaker score of 6.

It was the second year in a row a doubles team went to state. Though they did not place, Coach Tim Larsen said it was the best tennis team had ever done.

“It equals what was done last year during playoffs,” Larsen said. “But we won Conference [too], which was why this year was better than last year.”

The Knights finished their overall season with an astonishing 29-1, and Jurcenko broke the record for the most total wins at Kaneland with 32 victories—a record that Napiorkowski had set just last year with 25 victories.

“No matter who they played, they reacted well and found a way to beat their opponent,” Larsen said.