Ford, Pingel exit shortly after upset bid unravels

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Central junior Lindsey Pingel had an immediate and quick response when she saw the draw for the doubles bracket at the Class 2 state tennis tournament.

"Dang it!" Pingel said when she saw that she and doubles partner Sarah Ford drew St. Joseph's Academy's Allison Smith and Katie Thome in the opening round.

Smith and Thome were part of the Class 2 state championship team that dominated its competition, winning their five postseason matches by a combined score of 37-0.

But Pingel and Ford did not look intimidated at the beginning of Friday morning's match at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.

The Central girls won the opening set 7-5 and had a 3-0 lead in the second set. But the Angels duo came back to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

"The momentum shifted, and before you know it we were even 3-3 after being ahead 3-0," Ford said. "We were confident and ready to play and came out loose and played well early."

Pingel said the Angels picked up their game to change the momentum.

"They missed some shots early and we were able to capitalize," Pingel said. "They stopped doing that in the second set. I thought we played well overall. They just played better."

What looked like a very promising start for Pingel and Ford turned out to be a short stay. They fell in the consolation bracket 6-2, 6-2 to Alex Lifosky and Allison Wulff of Columbia Rock Bridge, which had finished third in the team competition Thursday.

"That first match was a heart-breaker," Central coach Annette Slattery said. "You know how much momentum shifts in this game. We got off to a good start but we opened the door a little and they took advantage and got their confidence up. Every match here is a good experience, though, and I am so proud of the girls."