Galick & Eggen beat Carmel

Surrounded by the host Carmel fans, easily the most obnoxious crowd witnessed this season, Providence nearly upset the East Suburban Catholic Conference first-place team, losing 3-2 on Thursday. 

With Carmel fans, yelling out at the players like it was a football game, and cheering unforced errors by Celtics players (against the etiquette of tennis rules), the Celtics fought hard but came up just short.

Hannah Davis won at first singles in straight sets. After defeating her opponent, Christine Rao, in the first set 7-5, Rao fell apart emotionally and Davis beat her easily in the second set, 6-1. Mary Beth Galick and Lizzie Eggen won at third doubles in straight set over a long, hard-fought match, giving the Celtics a chance for the upset. It was a great win for Galick and Eggen, perhaps showing what Providence will be lining up for the Sectional Tournament this year. Galick qualified for the State Tournament at doubles last year with Jamie Noonan, who graduated last year.

At first doubles, Maggie and Kelly Ruane nearly won to pull off the upset, but it became a very contentious match with the Carmel first doubles team of Michelle Kannenberg and Kathleen Felicelli, who were clearly cheating on several of their line calls, to the point where the twins had to call on a line judge to finish the match. With Carmel parents yelling at the twins from the stands, embarrassing themselves and their school, the Carmel first doubles team tried to cheat again but were over-ruled by the line judge.  They won the match 6-3, 6-3.

The Ruane twins loss was only their second of the season and first in conference.

The Celtics will see Carmel again in the East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament in October where they hope win out at a neutral site, Bishop McNamara.