Staff Report

BUFFALO GROVE – Belen Nevenhoven of Auburn got off to a strong start in her bid to become the first IHSA girls tennis champion in NIC-10 history.

Leading 4-2 with a break point, she missed a volley that turned the match. Defending state champion Kiley Rabjohns rallied to win 10 of the next 13 games. The final score was 7-5, 6-2 for Rabjohns.

That left Nevenhoven, who is a junior, with the distinction of being the first Rockford Public Schools player to make it to a girls state final.

Nevenhoven also won more games off Rabjohns than any other play in the last two IHSA state tournaments. Still, she’ll have to build her game even more. Rajohns is a junior as well.