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player ready...All eyes were on Crown Point senior Savannah Schuljak.
Twice in the same week, crucial Duneland Athletic Conference matches rested on Schuljak’s shoulders. On both occasions, the Bulldogs’ No. 3 singles player delivered.
“When you know you’re the third point because everyone is watching your match, there’s a lot of pressure,” Crown Point coach Brian Elston said. “Some people don’t understand it until they’re actually in that situation because we have a lot of underclassmen on our team. She’s been through it before.”
Schuljak’s first clinching win came on April 26 against LaPorte. The Bulldogs won at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, but lost both doubles points. Everyone from both teams bundled up on the 45-degree evening and gathered to watch Schuljak close out a 6-4, 7-6 win over Abi Glass.
But that was only the opening act. Two days later, Schuljak rallied from a set down to beat Lake Central’s Lauren Gronek 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and clinch a 3-2 upset of the Indians.
“I try to stay composed on the inside as well as the outside,” Schuljak said. “It really brings the other team up when you show a lot of emotion. I try to stay calm and collected, and that’s how I get through my matches.”
Now, thanks in part to Schuljak (10-1), the Bulldogs (10-1, 5-0) can win the DAC outright if they beat Portage and Michigan City this week.
Schuljak’s competitive tennis days will be in the rearview mirror after this season. The honors student will move on to Indiana to study biology.
“I love animals,” she said. “I hope to be a wildlife veterinarian and work with exotic animals, or maybe have my own practice. I like to be in charge.”
That leadership has been on display. Schuljak has helped guide youthful Crown Point, which has exceeded expectations after losing four key players to graduation.
“We’re at a point where a lot of people, including myself, didn’t think we would be,” Elston said. “We’re just playing really well right now.”
Rebuilding time: There’s a word Marquette coach Ray Silvas doesn’t like using, but he didn’t beat around the bush when discussing the Blazers (5-6, 4-3).
“This is the first rebuilding season I’ve had in a long time,” he said.
After knocking off Whiting to win the Greater South Shore Conference last year, the Blazers were hit hard by graduation.
Kaitlyn Silvas (9-2), the coach’s daughter, has been a bright spot at No. 1 singles. She took group and private lessons during the offseason.
“It’s fantastic because not only do I get to improve her game, but I get to spend time with her and build that father-daughter relationship,” Ray Silvas said. “She does a great job of listening and implementing what I teach her.”
The gauntlet: Merrillville coach Stoten Stofko can attest to the high level of talent in the DAC.
The Pirates (4-6, 0-5) have found success in nonconference matches, but its conference schedule has been a grind of one quality opponent after another.
“It’s tough, but it sets the bar high,” Stofko said. “We’re trying to reach that bar. It is a bit rough on the girls sometimes, when we have an 5-0 loss followed by another 5-0 loss because we have two conference matches back-to-back. Nobody takes that too well, but we get by.”
Brandon Vickrey is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
TOP 5
Last week’s rankings in parentheses
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1. Munster (1)
2. Crown Point (2)
3. Lake Central (3)
4. LaPorte (4)
5. Valparaiso (NR)
Player of the Week: Lake Central’s Kristi Tinsley continued her season-long dominance at No. 1 singles in the Duneland Athletic Conference with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Michigan City’s Sydney Kohn. Tinsley is undefeated for the Indians (12-1, 4-1).