Schlessman reaches 100

Reaching 100 wins is very nice.

Getting the milestone victory in a 21/2-hour grind against close rivals for a tournament championship is ... priceless.
"I could not believe it happened in a championship doubles match," senior Amy Schlessman said of her 100th career girls' tennis victory at Perkins. "I'm so happy it happened like that.

"It was a team victory in our doubles invite, and I don't get to play doubles all that much."

Schlessman teamed with Dalal Hamad to take the first doubles title Saturday, scoring a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Jacque Weir and Nancy Bloor of Huron and lifting the Lady Pirates to the team title by five points over Sylvania Northview.

"I've played a lot of tennis matches and I think that was the most intense match I've ever played in,'' Schlessman said.

"My partner handled the pressure so well and there were teammates and fans cheering us on. It meant so much for our school, Dalal and me."

And she didn't even know it.

"It was awesome," Schlessman said. "I figured I would be getting 100 this season, but I wasn't counting. Dalal was awesome, so for me and my teammate to win that match, and for the team to win the tournament, I couldn't ask for a better 100th."

She entered the tournament with 97 career wins, getting No. 98 with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Sweta Rao and Yelena Zhemovskiy of Northview and No. 99 against Sam Lagrou and Katie Harmon of Fremont Ross by the same 6-1, 6-2 margin.

"I know if I play the way I know I can, I can pull off a win," Schlessman said. "But there's some great players out there and I have to work really hard. It's definitely a lot more competitive than my freshman year, but that makes it more fun."

Schlessman, the three-time Sandusky Bay Conference singles champion, has not lost a match during the regular season or sectional level since Sept. 2005.

"To me, Amy is very special in terms of her respect for the game of tennis," said John Schlessman, her father and Perkins girls tennis coach.

"She has tremendous fundamentals and poise. I've coached a lot of great athletes, and I don't want to compare any, but none have been more consistent than Amy. You know every time she steps on the court she is going to give her team a great effort.

"And what made it even more special is that it was a team event and the win helped us nip a strong Sylvania Northview team."

To show her consistency, the younger Schlessman has compiled three straight 30-2 seasons at No. 1 singles and has reached the state tournament the last two seasons. She has seven straight singles wins this fall.

"This means a lot because I've put in so much time and I love the game so much," she said. "I am really glad to reach this point. It's been really fun.

"There are days when I don't feel like playing, but I have so many more days where I love it so much. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

Amy, who set the Perkins girls' tennis career win mark as a junior, now turns her attention to the remainder of the season and the next level.

"I have visited a few (colleges) and I'm definitely planning on playing in college," she said.

"It will probably be a smaller school because I want to focus on academics. I still want to play tennis, but I'll probably stick to a smaller school."