COLUMBUS — They trailed 5-2 in the first set of their first match at the state tournament before Lexington’s Alex Griebling and Jillian Earnest flipped the switch.
The tandem never looked back.
Griebling and Earnest rallied for a 7-5, 6-2 win over Gates Mills Hawken’s Nayana Ravishankar and Luisa Schunk in the opening round of the Division II doubles draw, then cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Cincinnati Seven Hills’ Lauren Saggar and Nicole Tiao in the afternoon at Ohio State’s varsity outdoor tennis courts. They will meet Kettering Alter’s Lauren Hawley and Amanda Showalter in the state semifinals today at Hilliard Davidson High School.
“I think they just settled down, then they played great,” Lex coach Ron Schaub said after Friday’s morning match against Ravishankar and Schunk. “They’ve been playing really well.
“The windy conditions and just being at the state tournament threw them off early, but they recovered nicely.”
Earnest will be making her second consecutive appearance in the state semifinals. She teamed with Elise Betscher and reached the state championship match last year. The team of Earnest and Betscher also won first-round matches in 2011 and 2012.
Like her playing partner, Griebling has plenty of state tournament experience. Griebling and former playing partner Nichole Dragos reached the state tournament in 2012 and 2013, winning first-round matches both years.
“That experience should help both of them,” Schaub said.
Today’s other Division II doubles state semifinal match features defending state champs Adrian Young and Alissa Nakamoto of Pepper Pike Orange against Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown’s Catherine Areklett and Allyson Persky.
“We’ll see what happens,” Schaub said.
Lady Lex will be in action Sunday in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team state tournament. Lexington will face Columbus Academy in one state semifinal match at 9 a.m. at Reynoldsburg High School. Dayton Chaminade-Julienne and Pepper Pike Orange will play in the other semifinal.
