Auburn’s Nevenhoven cruises to IHSA tennis quarterfinals
Staff Report
SCHAUMBURG – Auburn sophomore Belen Nevenhoven roared into the IHSA Class 2A tennis singles quarterfinals with three straight-set victories.
Nevenhoven, who lost just one game at sectionals, dropped just eight in six sets Thursday. She topped Marta Krakowski of Elgin, 6-1, 6-1; Mia Thomann of Chicago Whitney Young, 6-1, 6-4; and Caitlin Goldberg of Highland Park, 6-0, 6-1.
Nevenhoven will play Alex Savu of Naperville Neuqua Valley at Buffalo Grove High School for her quarterfinal match.
According to tennisrecruiting.net, Nevenhoven is the 9th ranked player in Illinois and the NIC-10’s best bet in years to win the conference first state tennis title. She’ll have a battle on her hands. Tennisrecruiting has Savu, also a sophomore, ranked No. 11.
Nevenhoven is looking to become the first NIC-10 player to place at state in the largest class since 1995. The IHSA split the tournament into two classes in 2016, and that year Boylan’s Ana Hatfield took fifth in 1A.
NIC-10 girls tennis state medalists:
Cindy Bogdonas, Boylan, 1975, 5th place
Mary Johnson, West, 1975, 5th place
Tonya Bogdonas, Guilford, 1985, 6th place
Tonya Bogdonas, Guilford, 1987, 4th place
Sarah Kohl, Guilford, 1990, 7th place
Eva Marcial, Belvidere, 1995, 5th place
Ana Hatfield, Boylan, 2016, Class 1A, 5th place
Photo: Rockford Sports Coalition