Top seeds Alyvia and Michaela Kluska of Greensburg Central Catholic didn't just have an idea how their WPIAL Class AA championship match would go.
They downright knew.
"We didn't make a final decision until we got here," top-seeded junior Alyvia Kluska said. "We kind of had a plan, but when we warmed up, we decided we didn't want to play [each other] because we both kind of had it."
With the first set tied on a serve at 2-2, the sisters walked to the net, shook hands, gathered their belongings and left the court. Michaela took the loss as a default and gave her older sister a WPIAL title.
"I am a very competitive person, probably the most competitive person in my whole family, but whenever it comes to my family, there is no competitiveness between us," No. 2 sophomore Michaela Kluska said. "I don't think me and Alyvia would ever consider putting our relationship on the line for a tennis match."
In 2013, Alyvia defaulted in a WPIAL third-place elimination match for a berth in the state tournament, which went to Michaela.
WPIAL rules say the players have to take the court and play a point before a concession can take place.
"I've never seen it happen when they were already here, but I have had players want to do it ahead of time one other time and we made them play it out," WPIAL site manager Lane Stoner said.
Whoever opted to win would have little impact on the state tournament. The PIAA preslots its bracket, so it was more of a determination of which one would go in the spot as champion and which was in second.
Both will participate in the PIAA Class AA championships, which open with regional matches Oct. 21, but the two could face off for a PIAA title. And there won't be a default in that match.
"I just think it would be a better situation," Michaela said. "It's not for a spot No. 1 or No. 2 going into a tournament. It would just be for our own accomplishment."
In Class AAA, juniors Ananya Dua of Shady Side Academy and Upper St. Clair's Charlotte Madson played the old fashioned way. Dua held on for a 6-3, 7-5 victory to win her first WPIAL title.
First Published: September 19, 2014, 4:00 a.m.