OWEGO – On a cold and windy Friday morning in Owego, the Indians hosted the Section IV Class B tournament. The ladies of the Norwich Purple Tornado tennis squad warmed up quickly and were able to start off the day with wins despite the elements.

Norwich’s doubles team made up of Riley Marsh and Natalie Benenati began by defeating Maine-Endwell’s Mira Pasquale and Precelaire Joseph without losing a single game (6-0, 6-0). In their next match, Lauren Angelone and Kayla Hankey of Owego defeated the Tornado duo. Angelone and Hankey eventually claimed the Class B doubles title.

Ava Granquist and Katie Gawronski, Norwich’s second-seeded doubles team, overcame their Maine-Endwell opponents Sophia Pelton and Angela Thomas with scores of 6-3 and 6-1, winning in straight sets to move on to the quarterfinals.

After a first round bye, Norwich’s Parker Walsh displayed true grit with her come-from-behind upset over Owego’s fourth-seeded singles player Ella Kopalek. With the first set going to Kopalek, Walsh defeated to the Owego opponent 7-5 to force a third set, which she won 6-1.

Walsh’s victory kept Norwich in the running for the sectional title. In the same singles quarterfinals round, the Tornado’s Lucie Martin easily handed Maine-Endwell’s Hannah Green a loss in straight sets, moving onto the semifinals(6-1, 6-1). 

The Granquist-Gawronski team defeated Vestal’s duo of Eeshah Ahmed and Shreya Nippani with scores of 6-3 and 6-1, earning a place in the doubles championship match.