If Lizzie Miller isn't the only player in the history of area girls' high school tennis to have the unique distinction of being on the court providing the clinching point for a team to win a WPIAL team title two consecutive years, it has to be a rather exclusive club.

As in, its membership meetings could be conducted in a broom closet. A small one, at that.

It doesn't happen too often, period, that a WPIAL team tennis championship match involves the same team two consecutive seasons ... and that same team winning both times.

The odds of the same player being put in the pressure-packed situation in consecutive autumns ... and coming through? Gotta be astronomical.

"The nerves were still there," Miller said, with a slight laugh. "I was just, like, sitting there thinking, 'Oh my gosh, after last year, what if it doesn't happen that way again?' I think I was a little more nervous this year. To do that again, it was something that I wanted to prove that I can do this twice and that I'm a clutch player who comes through for her team."

Miller certainly has left that legacy. Last Thursday, she and junior Maddy Moersch defeated Caroline Gensheimer and Mica Rollock of Quaker Valler, 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-3, at second doubles after the two rival schools had completed four matches -- splitting them -- and all eyes were on that particular court at North Allegheny.

"I think, for me, it definitely was nerve-wrecking," said Miller, a senior captain who lives in Sewickley. "It's 2-2 and it was like, 'You know what, this is it. I'm going to have to win this match for my team.' And that kind of gave me the drive to want to win and kind of took the nerves away, to get the last match and get the point for our team."

Last season, Miller's partner was then-senior Julia Sponseller, and they were playing at first doubles when they won their match for Sewickley Academy's third point against Beaver Area in the team title match.

That brought Sewickley Academy its first girls' tennis team WPIAL championship. The Panthers defended their crown this season but still have a long way to go to catch the school's boys' tennis program, which won its 14th WPIAL title in May.

Still, a championship title held extra significance because the winning match came against the crosstown rival Quakers. The two schools, located about a mile apart, are in the same section and played three close matches in which the winning team (the Panthers all three times) won, 3-2, of those meetings.

"We're in the same community... and all the kids from Sewickley know the QV students and vice versa," Panthers coach Whitney Snyder said. "Both teams have plenty of respect for each other. Quaker Valley has such a good culture of success. They've proven that with several WPIAL titles. The fact this win came against them is special."

Logan Antil is Sewickley Academy's first singles player, sophomore Eva Sung plays at second singles and Aimee Fadden and Caroline Ross are at first doubles.

Antil, a sophomore, was the WPIAL Class AA singles tournament runner-up and will play in the PIAA singles tournament next weekend at the Hershey Racquet Club. Same goes for Fadden, a senior, and Ross, a sophomore, who teamed up to take second place in the WPIAL doubles tournament earlier this month and will go for a PIAA doubles title.

Sewickley Academy is now involved in the PIAA team tournament. The Panthers advanced to the semifinals last season. They defeated Bedford, 5-0, Tuesday and will play District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Hershey Racquet Club.

The semifinals and final are scheduled for Saturday in Hershey. Quaker Valley also qualified for the tournament. The Quakers defeated Elk County Catholic, 5-0, and will play Moravian Academy 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in Hershey.

"You go all out to get to this point. If you can't get pumped up for this, you shouldn't be playing sports," Snyder said. "You have a chance to win a state championship; this is going to have a positive impact on you the rest of your life.

"We're trying to cherish these moments. Yes, we know what it will take. It will take our best effort of the year. That's why we try to play matches against the Upper St. Clairs, Shady Side Academys and Pine-Richlands [all WPIAL Class AAA powers that the Panthers played during the regular season] to prepare for this moment."

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