SOUTH POINT — In retrospect, it was pretty darn good.
When South Point Lady Pointers’ tennis standout Meredith Riley looked back on her tennis career, she had no regrets.
Riley just finished a fourth straight trip to the state tournament that put an exclamation point on her four-year high school career.
At the state tournament, Riley beat Rida Tahir of Shaker Heights Laurel 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. She then faced Caroline Boyle of Hamilton Badin and lost in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Boyle lost in the semifinals to Martha Thompson of Cincinnati Indian Hill 6-1, 6-4.
“I was pretty happy with how I played except the second match,” said Riley. “I never played any of them before. It was probably my nerves. I wanted to make the semifinals.”
It marked the second straight year Riley won her first match at the state tournament.
In the Southeast District Tournament, Riley went 6-0, 6-0 on Alex Binge of Marietta, then 6-0, 6-0 against Vlada Kiryukhin of Miami Trace to put her in the finals against Miranda Johnson of Minford.
Riley won the first set 7-5, lost 6-2 in the second set but then went back to her favorite score in the tournament with a 6-0 win to earn a berth in the state tournament.
In the sectional tournament, Riley began by sweeping Raegan Dudzieski of Unioto 6-0, 6-0. Riley then beat Caitlin Davis of Miami Trace in identical straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 and then did the same thing against Isabel Macatol of Marietta before beating Johnson 6-0, 6-0 to win the sectional.
Although she didn’t make the semifinals or win the state tournament, Riley was happy with her high school career that saw her win four straight sectional singles titles and four straight district singles championships.
“It was pretty successful. I want to go to the state each year and I did. I’m pretty happy with the success,” said Riley.
There have been some college offers on the table but Riley said she hasn’t turned her focus to playing at the college level. Her plans are to go to college in pre-medicine just like her sister Madison.
The sisters have had parallel careers. Both played high school tennis and reached the state tournament although Meredith qualified four times and Madison made three trips.
Madison played at Western Carolina and then Morehead State when Western Carolina dropped tennis. She eventually ended up playing for Marshall University and going to medical school.
“I think we just like the same things,” said Meredith. “But I’ve always looked up to her.” Riley doesn’t really plan on continuing her career after college but said she wants to keep playing.
“I might give lessons,” said Riley. “(Her sister) doesn’t play as much as she did before. We just play each other for fun.”
When asked who would win in a real match between the sisters, Mededith chuckled and said “I think I would.”
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