MIDDLETOWN — Archmere’s girls tennis team has spent the past few years as the bridesmaids at the state tournament, falling just short several times in their quest for a state championship. The Auks erased any doubts this year, sweeping all five individual events and rolling to the title on May 20 at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown.
Archmere entered the final round needing just one winner to emerge from the five finalists to clinch the title. It was freshman Caroline Jiao who got to the finish line first. The second seed swept the fourth seed, Mikaila Mastrandrea of St. Andrew’s, 6-0, 6-0. She had to celebrate by herself for a little while until her teammates won their events.
“It feels really good,” Jiao said. “I’m happy to be part of this team. We did really good this season, and it’s good to end up on a good note.”
The Auks finished the regular season undefeated at 15-0, losing just two individual matches all season. They clinched their first state title since 2009 and the school’s sixth overall. Tower Hill finished second after defeating the Auks the past two years.
The Auks are the first girls team with a perfect score in the state tournament since 2016, when Tower Hill completed the sweep. This was just the second time it has been done in state tournament history.
Jiao headed over to watch teammates Akilah Yu at second singles and Susie Shipley at third singles, who were on adjoining courts in the sweltering heat. Yu, a sophomore and the top seed, lost in the semifinals last season. This year, she knocked off Caesar Rodney’s Addy Vu, the No. 2 seed, 6-1, 6-1. She said she never expected to win that decisively.
“I was hoping to play my best,” Yu said. “It’s really special that I got to pull through the finals.”
Shipley, one of just three seniors among the seven who played, was also the top seed. She captured her second individual title at third singles, having won as a sophomore. She was the runner-up last year.
Shipley was the most emotional of the Auks on the court, pumping up her teammates who had gathered to watch the last part of her match against Wilmington Charter’s Emma Li. She won, 6-2, 6-2. She and her sister Emily — more on her in a bit — are both headed to Wake Forest University this fall with gold medals and memories that will last a lifetime.
“It makes me feel wonderful, especially having such an amazing team this year. We just had fun playing our matches, and it was one match at a time, and now we’re here,” she said.
The two doubles teams also played next to each other, and the crowd grew after the singles matches concluded. The first doubles team of sophomores Jessica Li and Lauren Nguyen, the second seed, won their second straight state championship. They defeated the No. 1 seed, Lily Leung and Eva Cai of Tower Hill by a score of 7-5, 7-5. The teams had played during the regular season, but the Auks had to retire because of an injury.
“We just love each other,” Li said.
“We’re just really happy, and I hope our school has a dress-down day for us,” Nguyen added.
The doubles matches ended within seconds of each other, and the final individual championship belonged to the top seed, seniors Emily Shipley and Rebecca Wang. For
Wang, this was her second doubles title after winning last season with a different partner. They bested Tower Hill’s Anna Kayiaros and Leanna Geerts, the No. 2 team, 6-1, 7-5.
“It means the world to me. My teammates and my coaches are the most important to me,” Emily Shipley said while tearing up.
Wang, who will attend the University of Notre Dame, said she was tired of finishing second in the team competition.
“To get a team trophy, especially since this is my senior year, it’s ending with a bang,” she said.
Winning a title “is almost like a cherry on top of it. It’s been a great season, the best so far.”
All afternoon, Archmere coach Michael Hamilton wandered from court to court to see his players. He was happy to move from runner up to champ.
“Always knocking on the door,” he said. “Tower always has a great program. This was our year. We had a great group of girls, focused and determined.”
He called his varsity players “the magnificent seven. They’re just phenomenal players and even better teammates.”
Hamilton said he knew this season had the potential to be special since both doubles won titles last year, and Susie Shipley was a runner-up.
“We knew we were pretty strong. It’s exciting. They’ve made my season fun,” he said.
Photos by Mike Lang.
