Photo gallery for Pastunink pushes way to success

File/The Holland Sentinel
Jill Pastunink.

By ALAN BABBITT
The Holland Sentinel
Posted Jun 18, 2008 @ 09:00 AM
Holland, MI —

Few tennis players across the state pushed Shannon Mathews of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood in a match at No. 1 singles.

Zeeland West’s Jill Pastunink tested Mathews more than anyone did at the Division 3 state tournament.

Pastunink, The Sentinel’s High School Girls Tennis Player of the Year, lost to Mathews 6-4, 6-3 during the state semifinals last month in Kalamazoo. Mathews didn’t lose more than one game in a set in three other matches at state, including the finals.

It was an impressive performance by Pastunink, Zeeland West coach Ruth Miller said.

“Last year she played the same girl in the state semifinals and lost to her 0 and 1,” Miller said. “The girls hadn’t even lost a game during the regular season. From one game to seven games, that’s a testament to Jill’s athletic ability and also her improvement.”

Pastunink, a junior, finished the season with a 22-1 record. She captured O-K Green Conference and regional championships.

Seeded fourth at the state tournament, Pastunink drew a first-round bye, then defeated Amanda Meyering of Grand Rapids South Christian 6-1, 6-0 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, Pastunink topped fifth-seeded Haley Dekkinga of Allegan 6-2, 6-1.

Pastunink led a group of strong singles players for the Dux.

Her sister, Colleen, played No. 2 singles and earned conference and regional championships.

Colleen said Jill helped her prepare for her freshman season.

“Jill has a good all-around game,” Colleen said. “She never gives up. She told me (before the season started) just to fight for every point.”

ALL-AREA TENNIS

Singles
• Bree Breuker, Hamilton
• Hannah DeWilde, Holland
• Kristen Etterbeek, Holland Christian
• Jill Pastunink, Zeeland West

Doubles
• Lisa Peerbolt, Holland Christian
• Tina VanDoornik, Holland
Christian
• Briana VanderWege, West Ottawa
• Rachel Govert, West Ottawa
•Sammi Dozeman, West Ottawa
• Laura Holoway, West Ottawa
• Karalyne Cousins, Holland Christian
• Bethany Zoerhof, Holland
Christian