By James Costello Sports Writer
PLYMOUTH — After Northridge went undefeated in round robin Northern Lakes Conference play this season, the Plymouth girls tennis team knew they’d have a tough time trying to defend their three-year conference title streak.
The Lady Pilgrims earned two second places, two third places and one fifth place at the NLC tourney finals Saturday, falling short of their ultimate goal to outscore Northridge, but that performance did lift the Pilgrims out of a tie with Concord to earn second place outright in the NLC.

“If we can’t get first, we might as well get second,” said Plymouth girls tennis head coach Brad Haeck. “The girls really knew we were at a big disadvantage to win the tournament today based on the way we were seeded, who we were playing. I don’t think anyone on our team came out and didn’t play well. We were ready to play, and we were going to do all we possibly could to win the tournament.”
Plymouth scored the most points in the No. 2 spots as Nicole Beguin claimed runner-up honors at 2 singles, and Meagan Barron and Lindsay Renz took second in 2 doubles.
In singles play, Beguin first beat Elkhart Memorial’s Casey De La Cenay in straight 6-1 sets during the semifinal round before taking a tough loss to Warsaw’s Alli Tucker in the championship match. Beguin had beaten Tucker in a previous dual meet, but Tucker showed great improvement Saturday and frustrated Beguin with patient play for a 6-4, 6-1 championship victory over the Plymouth junior.
“That girl has improved a lot, and she’s frustrating to play against,” said Haeck of Tucker. “She keeps the ball in play and lets you make mistakes, and she did that to Nicole (Beguin), and Nicole got a little frustrated, and couldn’t quite hit the shots she normally does.”
Barron and Renz showed improvement in their championship match as well. The Plymouth duo had previously lost to Northridge’s Abbey Powers and Rita Jakubowicz, and although they took a second defeat Saturday, they were able to keep the sets much more competitive.
“I definitely don’t think we were intimidated, having lost to them before. We took that as a challenge; we came out ready to play, and we were real close the whole first set. Second set they got way down and battled all the way back almost to 5-5, so they didn’t give up and I’m proud of them for what they accomplished today.”
Subbing in for a convalescent Chelsea Benge at 3 singles, Kara Gilley salvaged a first-round loss by Benge Thursday with two wins Saturday for fifth place. Gilley beat Concord's Kasja Serwatka in three sets, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 before overcoming North-Wood’s Courtney Simpson 6-4, 6-3 for fifth overall.
“She played great,” Haeck said of Gilley. “I’m really happy with the way she played. She stepped it up at 3 and we didn’t really lose a beat there.”
Brittany Marquardt at No. 1 singles and Carly Plumlee and Kristen Holloway at 1 doubles each took third place Saturday after they advanced out of Thursday’s opening round at Concord with a win.
“We came out and we battled and we fought for everything that we got, and overall I’m very proud of our girls and how we competed today,” Haeck said.
• NORTHERN LAKES CONFERENCE MEET
Team scores: NORTHRIDGE 51, PLYMOUTH 40, ELKHART MEMORIAL 37, WARSAW 27, CONCORD 25, GOSHEN 24, NORTHWOOD 14, WAWASEE 3.
At Plymouth
Semifinals
SINGLES: 1. Katie Grubb (EM) beat Brittany Marquardt (P) 6-1, 6-2, Kristen Zakiewicz (NR) beat Kassie Simox (G) 6-0, 6-0; 2. Alli Tucker (War) beat Emily Herbster (NR) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, Nicole Beguin (P) beat Casey DeLuCenay (EM) 6-1, 6-1; 3. Ella Wynn (NR) beat Elle Berry (G) 6-0, 7-6(7-4), “Best” Rojannon (EM) beat Audrey Petro (War) 5-7, 6-0, 6-2.
DOUBLES: 1. Alyssa Hottinger-Kenzie Pletcher (NR) beat Jill Focht-Alli Heeter (NW) 6-1, 6-3, Andrea Moore-Amy Kline (C) beat Kristen Holloway-Carly Plumlee (P) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5; 2. Abbey Powers-Rita Jakubowicz (NR) beat Melissa Ramer-Lindsay Mast (NW) 6-4, 6-4, Meagan Barron-Lindsay Renz (P) beat Amy Jackowiak-Rachel Ballero (C) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Championship
SINGLES: 1. Grubb (EM) beat Zakiewicz (NR) 6-3, 6-1; 2. Tucker (War) beat Beguin (P) 6-4, 6-1; 3. Rojannon (EM) beat Wynn 6-2, 6-0.
DOUBLES: 1. Hottinger-Pletcher (NR) beat Moore-Kline (C) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(7-2); 2. Powers-Jakubowicz (NR) beat Barron-Renz (P) 6-4, 6-4.
Third place
SINGLES: 1. Marquardt (P) beat Simcox (G) 6-0, 6-0; 2. Herbster (NR) beat DeLuCenay (EM) 6-3, 6-4; 3. Berry (G) beat Petro 7-5, 6-4.
DOUBLES: 1. Holloway-Plumlee (P) beat Focht-Heeter (NW) 6-2, 6-2; 2. Jackowiak-Bollero beat Ramer-Mast (NW) 6-4, 6-4.
All conference: Grubb (Elkhart Memorial); Tucker (Warsaw); Rojan-non (Elkhart Memorial); Hottinger (Northridge); Powers (Northridge); Jakubowicz (Northridge)
All-conference at large: Miller (Goshen); Zakiewicz (Northridge);  Marquardt (Plymouth).
Honorable mention: Herbster (Northridge); Holloway (Plymouth); Plumlee (Plymouth); Moore (Concord); Heeter (NorthWood).
Coach of the Year: Jim Burkett, Northridge.