“I’m proud of my team. They battled every match. They were in it. Caroline Crawford faced a district champion (at No.1 singles), and that’s always an uphill battle, but I thought she played well. The other matches were very competitive,” Loyalsock coach Kirk Bower said. “We pulled them off court two, but they were playing well. The tiebreaker at doubles was a good win for them. That picked them up. They battled. I think we gave Danville a good match. They were definitely the favorite. I think today showed the difference between experience and a young team. The majority of my team, well, my whole team, is sophomores and juniors. That’s great. It’s a young team, but this was a good building experience for them to move forward.”

Loyalsock fought hard and had the match played out in full, it could have very well been 3-2. Their first doubles team of Lashlyn Sauers and Kaylene Kriner pulled out a crucial first set tiebreak win that gave the Lancers a bit of momentum.

But by the time first doubles won that tiebreak, thing were already slipping away from the Lancers.

Danville’s second doubles team of Ellen Pena and Siyah Bhanushali quickly dispatched Loyalsock’s Kinsley Hill and Annalise Berger, 6-1, 6-2 to get the first point of the match up on the board for Danville. District 4 singles champion Josie Bendle beat Crawford 6-2, 6-1 in a match more competitive than the score to make it 2-0 Danville.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Gia Biacchi returns a hit to Danivlle's Gyovanna Sundaresan during the district final at Muncy.

The swing match, at least for a while, looked like it could be third singles between Alexa Preisz and Vivian Reem. But Preisz, who had lost just 22 games all year long and was a perfect 17-0 coming in on the year, broke open a close match at 3-2 in the first set to win nine of the next ten games to capture the third and district-title deciding point for the Ironmen.

The district title is the first in Danville history.

Loyalsock’s season is far from over however. The Lancers have a pair of doubles team who will participate in the District 4 doubles tournament on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Williamsport, and the Lancers team will play in the PIAA team tournament next Tuesday against Lancaster Catholic at a site to be determined.

“We have our number one and two, Caroline Crawford and Biacchi. at the top spot, and they should do well. We’ve been practicing a lot, and we always end every practice with doubles. I think they complement each other really well,” Bower said. “At number two doubles, they haven’t played together before, but Lashlyn (Sauers) has experience in doubles and Vivian (Reem) is just a fighter. They’ll do well. Doubles is always kind of a crapshoot because it can be so random. That’s why I like doubles, it’s unpredictable and exciting to watch.”

Danville 3 Loyalsock 0

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent The Danville girls tennis team defeated Loyalsock in the district final at Muncy.

SINGLES

1. Josie Bendle (D) def. Caroline Crawford 6-2, 6-1; 2. Gyovanna Sundaresan (D) led Gia Biacchi 7-5 (pulled); 3. Alexa Preisz (D) def. Vivian Reem 6-3, 6-0

DOUBLES

1. Lashlyn Sauers/Kaylene Kriner (L) led Sanah Bhanushali/Elyse Spahr (D) 7-6 (7-3), 2-2 (pulled); 2. Ellen Pena/Siyah Bhanushali (D) def. Kinsley Hill/Annalise Berger 6-1, 6-2

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Kaylene Kriner returns a hit at the net in the #1 doubles in the district championship against Danville at Muncy Thursday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Gia Biacchi returns a hit to Danivlle's Gyovanna Sundaresan during the district final at Muncy.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford returns a hit to Danville's Josie Bendle in the #1 singles match during the district final at Muncy.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Danville's Josie Bendle returns a hit to Loyalsock's Caroline Crawford in the #1 singles match during the district final at Muncy.