Eastview’s Karin Young took on Edina’s Nicole Copeland in the Class 2A girls’ tennis singles finals Friday at the Baseline Tennis Center at the University of Minnesota. Young won the match 6-4, 6-1. Photos: ELIZABETH FLORES • liz.flores@startribune.com
Karin Young woke up Friday a bundle of nerves. The Eastview sophomore has played oodles of high level tennis in her life, but this was different. A state championship was on the line.
But by the time Young and Edina’s Nicole Copeland squared off for the Class 2A state title on Friday, those nerves were under control. And soon after, so was Copeland.
Young employed a defensive strategy that frustrated the two-time state champion. She also sprinkled in enough diversity to take advantage of opportunities when they arose to win her first state singles championship, besting Copeland 6-4, 6-1.
“I think I did a good job of relaxing and just forgetting about all the pressure,” Young said.
It helped that she had defeated Copeland twice in recent weeks in section play, victories that earned her the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
“I knew how good of a player she is and how close our matches can be,” Young said. “I was just focused on playing my best game and blocking out all of the surroundings.”
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