Park Tudor defeated Evansville Memorial 4-1 Saturday (June 6) at North Central High School in Indianapolis to win its first IHSAA Girls Team Tennis championship.

The Panthers also became the first school since North Central in 1986-87 to win the IHSAA boys tennis and girls tennis team championships in the same year. The Park Tudor girls were making their first state finals appearance since 1980.

Coached by Dave Heffern, the Panthers finished their championship season 23-0. Evansville Memorial, making its sixth consecutive state finals appearance, completed the season 18-1 under coach Brenda Walling.

Earlier in the day, Park Tudor defeated Homestead 5-0 and Evansville Memorial topped Penn 4-1 in the semifinals. Penn downed Homestead 4-1 in the consolation round.

At No. 1 singles, Park Tudor freshman Katie Martzolf capped her season with two victories to finish 18-0. Martzolf beat Evansville Memorial senior Ann Poosuthasee, 6-1 and 6-0, in 55 minutes to get Park Tudor off on the right foot. Following that, the No. 1 doubles combination of freshmen Brookley Crews and Brooke Sagalowsky won 6-2 and 6-1. Sophomore Emily Neighbors improved her record to 21-1 in No. 2 singles to clinch the title for the Panthers.

Evansville Memorial finished runner-up, after ending last year with a third place finish. The Tigers won four straight state team titles from 1993 to 1996.

In the consolation match, Penn upped its mark to 18-2 with a 4-1 victory over Homestead. Penn senior and No.3 singles player Caroline Hoenk finished a strong season with two victories to end the season 28-1.

The IHSAA Executive Committee selected senior Ashley Walker of Park Tudor as the 1998 recipient of the Mental Attitude Award in Girls Tennis. Walker holds a 3.575 grade point average on Park Tudor’s 4.0 scale. Walker will attend Furman University and plans to major in pre-medicine/pre-dental or French. Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship in Walker’s name to Park Tudor High School.

Singles

1. Katie Martzolf, freshman (PT) def. Ann Poosuthasee, senior (EM) 6-1, 6-0.

2. Emily Neighbors, sophomore (PT) def. Caryn Hague, sophomore (EM) 6-1, 6-1.

3. Erica Baas, sophomore (EM) def. Emily Sands, junior (PT) 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles

Singles

1. Melissa Woods, junior (P) def. Emily Figel, freshman (H) 6-1, 6-2.

2. Laura Whitney, sophomore (P) def. Jaci Baumgartner, junior (H) 6-2, 7-6 (3).

3. Caroline Hoenk, senior (P) def. Lisa Walley, junior (H) 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles

1. Alicia Butz, senior/Molly Figel, senior (H) def. Kari Eder, junior/Kelly Meyer, sophomore (P) 7-6 (3), 6-4.

2. Karen Chu, junior/Meryl Guyer, freshman (P) def. Carly Everett, sophomore/Devon Haynie, junior (H) 6-1, 7-6 (6).

Singles

1. Ann Poosuthasee, senior (EM) def. Melissa Woods, junior (P) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

2. Caryn Hague, sophomore (EM) def. Laura Whitney, sophomore (P) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

3. Caroline Hoenk, senior (P) def. Erica Baas, sophomore (EM) 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3.

Doubles

1. Lorien Ingalls, senior/Carrie Spear, sophomore (EM) def. Kari Eder, junior/Kelly Meyer, sophomore (P) 6-3-6-2.

2. Carie Edge, junior/Lauren Woodard, freshman (EM) def. Karen Chu, junior/Meryl Guyer, freshman (P) 6-2, 6-3.

1. Katie Martzolf, freshman (PT) def. Emily Figel, freshman (H) 6-1, 6-0.

2. Emily Neighbors, sophomore (PT) def. Jaci Baumgartner, junior (H) 6-1, 6-3.

3. Emily Sands, junior (PT) def. Lisa Walley, junior (H) 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles

1. Brookley Crews, freshman/Brooke Sagalowsky, freshman (PT) def. Alicia Butz, senior/Molly Figel, senior (H) 6-1, 7-6.