PHILADELPHIA PA - Philadelphia University senior Maddie Smith was the story of the 2007 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Individual Tennis Tournament at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School this weekend. Smith captured the doubles championship with freshman teammate Adriana Rodriguez Saturday morning, and then capped the day by winning the singles championship over Goldey-Beacom freshman Luisiana Souto. Smith was honored as the CACC Player of the Year, while Souto garnered Rookie of the Year accolades.
Smith and Rodriguez, the top seed in doubles, advanced to the championship by defeating their Lady Ram teammates, freshman Daniela Rodriguez and senior Katie Stracquatanio, by a score of 8-1 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Smith and Rodriguez upended the Holy Family tandem of senior Lauren Neill and junior Quena Borres, 8-4. Neill and Borres earned their way to the championship after upending the Georgian Court team of seniors Autumn Florez and Corrine Stinemire, 8-1.
Smith, the top seed for singles, had little trouble in capturing the singles championship. She won her first-round match over GCU's Florez, 10-2, followed by a 6-2, 6-1 win over USP's Sarah Leonard. In the semifinals, she faced teammate, Daniela Rodriguez, and won by a 6-1, 6-3 count. That set up a finale against Goldey-Beacom's Souto, which Smith won, 6-1, 6-3.
Souto, who was the second seed in singles, advanced to the finals with victories over Philadelphia's Adriana Rodriguez (10-6), Holy Family's Lianna Lui (6-1, 6-1) and USP's Amanda Bedway (6-3, 6-4). For her efforts, Souto was named the CACC Rookie of the Year.
In other news, Holy Family first-year head coach Brett Shavitz was named the CACC Coach of the Year, while USP was given the annual Team Sportsmanship Award.
The All-CACC women's tennis team and a list of all awards are below.
Player of the Year: Maddie Smith, Philadelphia
Rookie of the Year: Luisiana Souto, Goldey-Beacom
Coach of the Year: Brett Shavitz, Holy Family
Team Sportsmanship Award: USP
All-CACC Team
Maddie Smith, Philadelphia
Luisiana Souto, Goldey-Beacom
Adriana Rodriguez, Philadelphia
Lauren Neill, Holy Family
Quena Borres, Holy Family
Daniela Rodriguez, Philadelphia
Amanda Bedway, USP