HERSHEY \u2014 It was yet another matchup between Lancaster-Lebanon League rivals Hempfield and Manheim Township.<\/p>\n
It just wasn\u2019t for as many marbles.<\/p>\n
The Blue Streaks\u2019 Abby Martin and Leighanne Chiong defeated the Black Knights\u2019 Rose Wendel and Rose Durrett 6-0, 6-2 in the District 3 girls tennis doubles Class 3A third-place match Saturday at Hershey Racquet Club to earn a a berth in states.<\/p>\n
In team matches this season, Township and Hempfield already have met three times, with Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1, L-L and district team titles on the line.<\/p>\n
Martin and Hempfield\u2019s Olivia Kickery met in the semifinals of the L-L 3A flight tournament singles while Sophea Hafez of Township and Elisha Yan of Hempfield met in the district semifinals.<\/p>\n
It looked quite likely that some L-L doubles team, in 3A or 2A, would play for a district title, but Martin and Chiong, who were seeded fourth, fell to Chambersburg\u2019s Leah Wadel and Charley Kalathas, who were unseeded, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the semifinals while Wendel and Durrett lost to eventual champs Emma Teunissen and Katie Gergal of Central Dauphin 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Manheim Township\u2019s Leighanne Chiong returns a shot Hempfield’s Kiana Nguyen during the L-L League girls team tennis championships at Conestoga Valley High School in Witmer on Tuesday Oct. 6, 2026.<\/p>\n
CHRIS KNIGHT | Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
\u201cI was getting nervous and angry,\u201d said Chiong, just a freshman, of the semifinals. \u201cI\u2019m happy (to reach states). I\u2019m grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Township pair put together a dominant performance to take the third and final 3A spot in the PIAA tournament, scheduled for Nov. 6-7 at HRC.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we played well together,\u201d said Martin, who teamed with Maya Lamachane to place second a year ago. \u201cI think we would have liked to win, but we\u2019re both really happy we get to go to states.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendel, who won the district 3A crown with Alex Gregory in 2024, and Durrett breezed through the first two rounds Friday, losing just three games. That included a 6-1, 6-0 win over Conestoga Valley\u2019s Havyn Robinson and Kaylee Eby, who surprised the No. 3 seeds 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.<\/p>\n
Also having a shot at both a district title and a berth in the state tournament was Lancaster Catholic\u2019s Abby Milay-Stipe and Paityn Gerz in Class 2A. The unseeded pair surprised Wyomissing\u2019s second-seeded team of Payton Carlson and Bella Karchevsky 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round and coasted by Bishop McDevitt\u2019s Teagan Pardo and Savannah Wheeler 6-2, 6-4 in the second. But they lost 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 to York Catholic\u2019s third-seeded team of Kylie Althoff and Katelynn Baker in the semifinals, then to Trinity\u2019s Olivia Malinoski and Leanna Tran 6-0, 6-3 in the third-place match.<\/p>\n
Top-seeded Juliet Perkins and Natalie Nelson of Conrad Weiser routed Althoff and Baker 6-2, 6-0 for the 2A title. Althoff had teamed with another partner to win last year\u2019s 2A crown.<\/p>\n
Back in 3A, Martin, just a sophomore, and Chiong will be back in action in the PIAA team tournament Tuesday before the doubles competition in two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the first match they were a little nervous,\u201d said Township coach Earle Cornelius of his duo\u2019s performance Saturday. \u201cIn doubles, it can cascade. When they got behind, they started to press.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think in the second match, they played up to their capabilities. I thought we had a really tough draw.\u201d<\/p>\n
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