Win takes Bruins to sectionals

Welcome to mid-Missouri, where Mother Nature suffers from an acute case of schizophrenia. It seemed she couldn’t decide whether or not to rain on Bethel Park, spitting sprinkles on the smooth green concrete of the park’s eight tennis courts several times.

The intermittent mist Tuesday forced coaches to interrupt Class 2 District 5 super-district play between Rock Bridge and Jefferson City on multiple occasions, but the teams succeeded in finishing five matches, enough to complete the dual meet.

The Bruins dominated the shortened meeting 5-0, and will proceed to sectional play this Saturday in Springfield, Mo. Rock Bridge will face Joplin at 9 a.m.

The afternoon’s most anticipated match was at No. 1 doubles, where Rock Bridge’s Elizabeth Worsowicz and Whitley Zitch faced Shelby Penno and Leslie Farmer of Jefferson City. Zitch and Worsowicz won the match 6-3, 6-3, but not without significant resistance from their opposition. The pair trailed Farmer and Penno 1-2 in each set, mounting consecutive comebacks that impressed Rock Bridge coach Ben Loeb.

“Our girls didn’t panic,” he said. “They maintained their poise and finished strong in both sets.”

Penno and Worsowicz met again at No. 1 singles, and though the rain precluded the two from finishing their match, Worsowicz looked comfortable in a match that made it to 6-0, 5-2 before a light rain made the court too slick to play.

Penno, a senior, makes good use of a short, powerful swing, and her blistering forehands bring to mind the sweet stroke of a designated hitter turning on a batting practice fastball. Worsowicz countered that power with an array of volleys and passing shots, frustrating Penno in the midst of the mist.

The Bruins will play both the round of 16 and the round of eight on Saturday, with an opportunity to make their eighth consecutive final four, a state record.

“I’m pleased with the improvement of each of the girls on our team,” Loeb said. “We want to play with confidence, and our girls are capable of that.”