Sports Editor
Milford sophomore tennis star Amanda Reinhart came up one set short of a trip to the state tournament on Thursday, Oct. 8 at the ATP Lindner Tennis Center in Mason.
Coming into the district tournament as the No. 4 seed out of the Mason sectional, Reinhart faced Akilah Parker of Northmont, the top seed from the Troy sectional, in the first round.
“(Reinhart) played pretty well against a very athletic player in the first match,” Milford head coach Claire Smalley said. “She has matured a lot from last year to this year. Nerves were a big part of the reason she didn’t win her first match last year.”
An experienced second-year player this time, Reinhart upset Parker, a senior, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals with a trip to state on the line.
“(Parker) was a great athletic player, but Amanda was just a little more consistent,” Smalley said. “She did what she needed to do.”
Facing Kelli Niehaus of Mount Notre Dame, the No. 2 seed from the Cincinnati sectional, Reinhart was stepping into new territory. For all the experience gained in her first trip to districts last season, the possibility of earning a return trip to the ATP for state brought with it a new set of challenges.
“(Playing for state) definitely (added some nerves),” Smalley said. “She was a little too careful in that first set. (Nerves) makes you play a little hesitant, a little safer and in the first set she was a little off.”
Reinhart dropped that nervy first set, 6-2, but she came back strong in the second set.
“To (Reinhart’s) credit, she made huge adjustments to win the second set,” Smalley said.
Flipping the score, the Eagles’ No. 1 took the second set 6-2 to force a decisive third set, which was won by Niehaus.
“That Kelli Niehaus was able to readjust to the changes Amanda made just speaks to the level of tennis competition in Cincinnati,” Smalley said. “Usually, if you win the second set (after losing the first), you go on to win the third, so that just tells you how competitive it is.”
One step closer to her ultimate goal, Reinhart was back to work preparing for her junior season this week despite Smalley’s suggestion that she take some time off. The coach said that taking advantage of the nice weather had a lot to do with Reinhart immediately getting back to work.
“She’s already starting to prepare for next season,” Smalley said. “(During the offseason), she’ll teach, do drills, hit with her coach, lift and condition. She’s already doing all the right things to get better.
“I’m so excited (for next season) because of how much she improved from her freshman to sophomore year. After she got a taste of almost getting to state, that will only help her to get that much better next season.”