Eaglecrest Sophomore Natali Marshall Advances to 5A Region 1 Tennis Championship Match
GREENWOOD VILLAGE – Eaglecrest sophomore Natali Marshall is on the brink of achieving her goal of qualifying for the Class 5A individual girls tennis state tournament after securing a spot in the 5A Region 1 championship match.
Marshall, who finished fourth in the same region at No. 1 singles as a freshman, is determined to make it to the state tournament this year. With a win in the final on Thursday morning, Marshall will secure her spot in the May 9-11 5A individual state tournament at City Park in Denver. Even if she loses, Marshall will have a chance to compete in a playback match against the winner of the third-place match.
After receiving a bye in the opening round as the No. 2 seed, Marshall faced a tough challenge against Chatfield’s Cameron Sternberg. In a grueling match, Marshall emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Marshall’s impressive win, her 16th of the season, places her among the state leaders in 5A. She is set to face Cherry Creek’s Anika Sharma in the No. 1 singles final, with the winner securing a spot in the state tournament.
Eaglecrest and Rangeview are representing the Aurora area in the tournament, with Marshall being the lone qualifier for the finals. Coach Dave Palmer’s Eaglecrest team also has Caroline Aquino in the third-place match for No. 3 singles, and the No. 4 doubles team of Fabian Acosta-Rojas and Saba Dewo competing for third place.
Cherry Creek has advanced its entire team to championship matches, with victories in No. 2 singles and Nos. 2 and 3 doubles. The rest of the finals are set to take place on Thursday.