Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Courtney Diebold (left) and Stevie Fortney were all smiles after they teamed up to win the 2008 Michigan Community College Athletic Association Women’s Tennis Tournament. (Photo provided)

KALAMAZOO—2008 Allegan graduates Stevie Fortney and Courtney Diebold never played doubles together in high school as Fortney was a singles player and Diebold was a doubles player. In college, the opportunity to team up representing the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Cougars in the 2008 Michigan Community College Athletic Association Women’s Tennis Tournament led to a championship.

The duo was undefeated on the season at 6-0 and ran away with the doubles portion of the tournament with Fortney adding a singles title for a double championship.

College tennis has been a little different for both girls, but playing together was not a totally new experience.

Diebold said, “We played together some, in high school, during the summer so we know each other’s game. So we could talk about what we wanted to do or say things to calm each other down.”

Fortney agreed saying, “I always wanted to play doubles with Courtney, but we never had the chance. We’re real good friends so we know each pretty well and we know each other’s game.”

If the scores are any indication, the duo did not have much trouble advancing through the competition to reach the finals.

Fortney said, “We really kind of clicked. We would talk to each other before each point and when I was serving I would pull her out wide and Courtney would finish it with a sweet overhead.

“Then when the opponent is serving I’d stay back, because I really don’t like the net that much.”

Diebold said, “Sometimes, if a girl was poaching at the net, we’d talk about it and what we’d do. And if Stevie wanted to play back that was okay. We’d sort of go by what makes each other comfortable.”

In the singles competition, Fortney, and another former Allegan tennis standout Kelsey Harness advanced to the quarterfinals. Harness had to play the opponent from Oakland Community College and lost 7-5, 6-1. Fortney played the same opponent in the finals and had a tough time with her, but eventually prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

“I was a little surprised I did as well as I did,” Fortney said. “I was going out pretty much to just work on my game. I wasn’t really expecting to win. I knew I was the underdog so I just went out and played my heart out.

“In the finals I played a girl I had beaten twice before, but she was playing really well and got me in the first set and then had me down 5-2 in the second and even had match point. She had another match point at 5-4. But I decided I was just going to start ripping the ball and they started going in and I ended up winning the match.”

The biggest difference for both of the girls is loss of team camaraderie they shared as members of the Allegan team.

“It’s different,” Fortney said. “In Allegan, we had parents, grandparents and friends there to cheer you on. Now we have some of our parents at the match and that’s fun, but there aren’t many of the other player’s parents who show up at the matches.

“There is such a short season here and without the parents and the rest of the atmosphere there is no drama. But the three of us (from Allegan) brought some school spirit to the team this year, so it’s been a lot of fun.”

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