On senior day for the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team it was a solid Raider junior that took the curtain call in a 3-2 win against Federal Way.

The win kept unbeaten Jefferson on the inside track to the SPSL Central 4A title.

Leading 2-1 in match wins, Jefferson needed a victory in one of the two remaining hotly contested three-set singles matches.

At No. 1, Raider senior Avery Kitsch was embroiled in battle with with junior Haley Ward while junior Breanna Ziccarelli was likewise locked in combat with the Eagles' Andrea Ferguson in No. 2.

Ziccarelli intensely stroked to a 6-3 first set victory, but her Federal Way opponent capitalized on the Raiders' drop in concentration to take the second set 6-3. Before the third set, TJ's Ziccarrelli discussed strategy with Raider head coach Andrew Buchan and returned to the court for a dominating 6-0 final set win to clinch the Jefferson team triumph.

"I wasn't focused in the second set," recalled the Jefferson junior. "It was a matter of bringing my focus up."

Throughout the season, Ziccarrelli has focused strongly en route to an 7-0 record that improved to 8-0 on April 30.

Mere moments after No. 2 singles concluded, Federal Way's Ward recorded a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, win against Kitsch for her first victory against her Raider counterpart in three tries. Kitsch tried to attack the net, but was undone by approaching on her own hits that were short in depth.

"I was killing her with drop shots," said Ward. "I worked to bring her to the net so I could hit passing shots."

An early service break pushed the Eagle singles player to a 4-1 third set lead before Kitsch closed the gap to 5-4.

Jefferson jumped on top with a win in No. 3 doubles. Seniors Charlene Yamasaki and Mari Hamashima overcame Katrina Honrade and Nycole Rogers 6-1, 6-4.

With the tremendous depth of the TJ team, the Raider seniors have seen spot action and were happy to end their home careers with a victory.

"We really wanted badly to play," echoed the pair. "Each of us plays at the same level and we don't give up."

Eagle seniors Dalynn Wingard and Vanessa Pham edged out Vanessa Sariego and Krista Nakamura 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, to win No. 2 doubles.

Veterans Mackenzie Qualls and Caroline Min turned the edge back to Jefferson in a 6-4, 6-1, triumph against sophomores Mina Park and Lauren Lang at No. 1 doubles.

"We used our spins and volleys while trying to stay on top of the net while watching the alleys," said Qualls.

Federal Way was fired up and came to play," observed Buchan, who had even more reason for celebration earlier in the week.

On Monday, April 26, at 2:17 p.m., Andrew and Jessica Buchan became proud parents of their first child, Avery Shelley Buchan, who weighed in at seven pounds, seven ounces.

The projected due date was April 15, so Andrew was always ready with his cell phone and knew the Highline Hospital team well.

"We knew everybody," he exclaimed. "We had 10 nurses and two doctors. Jessica was induced on Saturday."

For Federal Way, it was a good showing that epitomized how toughly it has played with close 3-2 losses including matchups with Decatur and Jefferson in a 2-6 season. Federal way improved to 3-6 with a Friday, April 30 win.

"We did well," said Eagle head coach Carmen Ferguson. "Our No. 2 doubles team and Haley had big wins."

Jefferson defeated Curtis on Friday, April 30, to raise its record to 8-0 with a pending Monday, May 3, rematch at once-beaten Decatur.