The play was even more dramatic at first doubles as Great Valley's Lisa Correale and Andrea Palmer defeated Angela Okaily and Jessica Ott, 4-6, 6-7 (9-7), 6-0. The Patriots' third doubles pair of Lauren Breeker and Stefanie Schneider took a page from their first doubles teammates to beat Kim Hallman and Liz Cory, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.
``My players knew they needed to go over the top,'' said Zarfos, whose team was 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the conference going into yesterday's match with Pottstown. ``I think our experience paid off.''
Breeker and Schneider are juniors. The other three players are seniors.
Zarfos said she was not surprised that the third sets were won by bigger margins.
``It usually happens that someone is going to relax [after two close sets] and someone is going to crunch down,'' Zarfos said. ``I think that's where our experience came in. The scores indicated to me that we took charge.''
Great Valley edged Upper Perkiomen, 4-3, last season. The Indians beat Phoenixville, 4-3, this year.
``It's going to be interesting,'' Zarfos said about tomorrow's match.
Intense match. Fans watching Unionville defeat West Chester Henderson, 5-2, on Friday got an added treat in the intense first singles match between the Indians' Marie Mainil and the Warriors' Ali Goldberg.
Mainil, the Belgian exchange student who already has made quite an impression on the area high school tennis scene, defeated a not fully healthy Goldberg, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2. Goldberg, who won the Ches-Mont League singles crown last season as a freshman, was nursing a arm muscle strain that she believes she suffered in the Phoenixville Tournament the weekend before.
``It bothered me so I took Tuesday off,'' Goldberg said. She did not play in Henderson's 6-1 league win over Downingtown Thursday , but felt she was ready for the Indians.
``I'm coming along well but my arm started to bother me in the [second-set] tiebreaker.''
Goldberg said she felt things slipping in the first set which she once led, 4-2.
``I had a volley which would have put me up 5-2, but I missed it. ``I was serving well but I should have come to the net more. She hits a hard ball,'' Goldberg said of Mainil. ``I was told her backhand was weaker than her forehand. I was trying to play to that but she managed to turn around on my shots to hit with her forehand. I don't think she hit a backhand all day.''
Coach takes blame. Upper Darby picked up one of its biggest Central League wins last Wednesday when it stunned Strath Haven, 4-3, on its home courts.
The Panthers figured to challenge Lower Merion for the league crown.
Strath Haven coach Joe Miluski took full blame for the loss. Because of a communications mix-up, the Panthers were without their No. 1 singles player, Erica Josbena . Josbena was under the impression the Panthers were playing at home, not on the road because of some earlier rescheduling. When she finally got to Upper Darby, the match had already begun.
``I should have called her to make sure,'' Miluski said. ``It's my fault.''
Despite the mix-up, Miluski wasn't about to take anything away from Upper Darby.
``They swept all the doubles matches in straight sets,'' Miluski pointed out. ``Give them a lot of credit.''
The Royals also got a nice comeback out of Thao To, who lost her first set to Erin Montgomery, 6-2, but won the next two, 7-5 and 6-3.
