11/08/2008

Lehman Brothers stock took a big plunge in recent months.

But the stock is high and rising on the Lehman sisters from John Burroughs.

Senior Alex Lehman and freshman Sydney Lehman became only the second pair of sisters in the 34-year history of the Missouri girls tennis championships to play for a state singles title last month.

Alex won the match to cap what was a stellar high school career. She's the Post-Dispatch All-Metro player of the year for the second consecutive season.

"I really don't like playing her," Alex said of the Class 1 championship match in which she beat her younger sister 6-0, 6-4. "But I will certainly remember it."

The memories are all good on a preps career which included a 61-1 record in singles. Lehman never lost a match to a player from Missouri, the only loss coming in 2007 against University of Michigan recruit Taylor Fournier of Blue Valley North, a Kansas school.

She was so dominant that she never played a third set in singles in her 62 matches. That included three wins, including one this season, over Class 2 champion Misia Kedzierski of St. Joseph's Academy.

"A lot of girls nowadays play exclusively on the baseline," St. Joe's coach Doug Smith said. "But Alex has the complete, well-rounded all-court game. Another thing I like about Alex is her mental toughness."

Burroughs' coach Steve Beauchamp will miss putting Alex's name at the No. 1 spot in the lineup.

"It was a thrill to be her coach for three years," Beauchamp said. "She took the program to new heights. She was very focused and all business when she stepped on the court and was a great teammate. I am not sure if we will see anybody else like her in my lifetime."

If he does, it could be Alex's little sister.

"Sydney will be awesome," Alex said. "I think she can do the same thing I did, winning three years in a row. No one is at her level right now."

The Bombers have had the past six individual singles champions (Susan Sullivan won in 2003, 2004 and 2005) and seven of the past eight.

Lehman's prospects look good both on and off the court. She will attend Harvard in the fall.