Last modified: Monday, June 8, 2009 7:52 AM EDT King Philip's Lauren Trudeau chases down a shot on Saturday afternoon. (Staff photo by MARTIN GAVIN) KP tourney run ends BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF WESTWOOD - Courtney Puddester and Lauren Trudeau may not have played any finer tennis this season than they did late Saturday afternoon on the courts at Westwood High School. Unfortunately, Wellesley High captured both doubles matches in straight sets and Shannon Baker fought off a challenge from Sarah Shipley at the No. 2 singles match for the decisive third point as the No. 1 seeded Raiders captured the MIAA Division 1-South Sectional Tournament title, a 3-2 verdict over King Philip High. Puddester, KP's junior No. 1 singles player, split sets with Wellesley freshman Abby Henry, losing a second set tiebreaker 7-5, but with the team title already decided, the Raider "retired" before the outset of the third set. Trudeau, KP's sophomore No. 3 singles player, overcame a one-set deficit, losing just two games in each of the final two sets in winning her match - the first Warrior point, but that was after Wellesley had already claimed three and the championship. "I knew that we would have to win at least second and third singles," chimed in King Philip coach Bob Goldberg of the "what-if's" scenarios for a victory. "Even after we lost both doubles points, I still thought that we could sweep singles." Unfortunately for KP, Shipley fell into an early funk, having her service broken four times in the first set in falling 6-2. Then the Warrior junior cracked her new racquet in the seventh game of the second set, owning a 4-3 lead. Eventually, Shipley saved two match points in the ninth game before falling 7-5 to Baker. "I knew that it'd be a great match," related Wellesley coach Allan Brazier. "KP is a tough team with a deep lineup." Wellesley's No. 2 doubles team of seniors Amanda VanTaube and Kristine Welsh-Loveman won the final nine games of their match with Rachel Sweeney and Jill Beers to secure the first Raider point. Then in a rematch of the MIAA Doubles Tournament quarterfinal round, Wellesley's No. 1 tandem of Caroline Taylor and Manon Ironside - MIAA Doubles Tournament State semifinalists - swept past Alex Embree and Meaghan Read 6-2, 7-5. The Raider team had won the initial contest 6-3, 6-4. Embree and Read had gone unbeaten during the regular season. But they lost the final four games of the first set. Then after staking a 5-2 lead in the second set, they lost the final five games. "We played consistent in taking the lead, then we got timid," said Embree. The farther along in their matches, the better than Puddester, Shipley and Trudeau played. However, Shipley experienced first service problems and never got into a groove. "That was the one singles point that I thought that we'd win," said Goldberg. "Sarah wasn't out there mentally and her opponent played smart." Shipley lost the final four games of the first set with service breaks in the fifth and seventh games. Then not only did Shipley save two match points in the ninth game, she broke Baker's service in the 10th game to knot the match at 5-5. However, the Warrior dropped service in the 11th game, but couldn't get a break point in the 12th game. Puddester and Trudeau were at peak performance in their matches. Trudeau won nine straight games in one streak. She won the second set with service breaks in the sixth and eighth games, then took the first five games of the third set with service breaks in the second and fourth games. "I didn't want to play defensively," said Trudeau, "I wanted her (junior Lucy Brennan) on the defensive," said Trudeau, who was unbeaten at the No. 3 singles spot in each of her first two varsity regular seasons for KP. Though her match stretched on to three sets, Trudeau was unaware of what was occurring on neighboring courts. "There's always some pressure, but I was so focused on my match, I didn't look around much." Puddester had heads spinning in her match. "Lauren was hitting the ball flawlessly and putting the ball where she wanted to," said Goldberg as Trudeau not only served well, but combated Brennan's attack to her backhand. "What can you say about Courtney,?" added Goldberg. "She was unbelievable, she feeds off the pace. On a scale of 1 to 10, she played at a 10." Puddester claimed the first set by holding service in the ninth game and breaking Henry's service in the second game. Puddester vaulted out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, hitting winners everywhere. However, Henry came back and tied the match at 4-4 and then broke Puddester's service in the 11th game for a 6-5 edge. But the KP Warrior came right back to break the Raider's service in the 12th game, forcing a tiebreaker - which she lost 7-5. "I kept putting pressure on her," said Puddester. "You could tell that she was kind of upset that she lost the first set. I thought that I was playing almost flawless in the first set." But for KP, without a point at No. 1 doubles or at No. 2 singles, the No. 2 seeded Warriors' chances for a championship diminished. "If there's one thing that we've been this season was consistent," said Goldberg. "But today, we were streaky - it was not our day, that was very much unlike us." MIAA Division 1 South Sectional Girls Tennis Tournament Championship match at Westwood High School Welllesley 3, King Philip 2: Courtney Puddester (KP) def. Abby Henry 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), retired; Shannon Baker (W) def. Sarah Shipley 6-2, 7-5; Lauren Trudeau (KP) def. Lucy Brennan 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; Manon Ironside-Caroline Taylor (W) def. Alex Embree-Meaghan Read 6-2, 7-5; Amanda VanTaube-Kristine Welsh-Loveman (W) def. Rachel Sweeney-Jill Beers 6-2, 6-0.