Wawasee senior Esther Hermann took her swings at the Culver Academy individual regional against Bremen’s Morgan Smith, who beat Hermann three and two Wednesday night. (Photo provided)

CULVER – It was a good ride for Wawasee’s Esther Hermann. The trip, however, ended in Culver at the Culver Academy Girls Tennis Regional.

Hermann, in her first year of American high school tennis as a foreign exchange student from Germany, reached the regional level by winning both of her one singles matches in the sectional against Whitko and Warsaw opponents. Facing Morgan Smith of Bremen would be a much tougher draw, and proved to be as such.

Smith, the Northern State Conference champion and First-Team NSC representative at one singles play this season, put an end to Hermann’s American journey with a 6-3, 6-2 victory. The one-hour, fourty-minute match featured several games going to deuce, but the service errors by Hermann along with the court savvy of Smith were the difference Wednesday.

“Esther played well but her serves were weak,” Wawasee head coach Chris Winters said Wednesday night by phone. “She has nothing to hang her head about. The Bremen girl was a solid player and had fewer unforced errors, so she had the edge. I am so proud of her.”

Added Hermann, who went 10-11 this year but a stunning 9-2 in non-conference matches, “It was a good finish for the season and I am happy and proud to represent Wawasee at regionals. I am never going to forget my tennis experience in America.”