Sure, the gold medal was a driving force. So was the right to call yourself a PIAA champion for the rest of your life. And the competitive drive played its role.

But for the Peters Township High School doubles team of senior Emily Palko and sophomore Julie Stroyne there was a much simpler motivation going into the PIAA Class AAA championship doubles match Saturday at the Hershey Racquet Club.

"We went out to lunch between matches," Palko said of the break between the semifinal and championship matches. "And we wanted some ice cream. But our parents said, 'If you win the next match, we'll get you ice cream after that.'"

Palko and Stroyne got their ice cream -- for the record, a sundae at Friendly's, according to Stroyne -- along with PIAA gold medals.

The duo swept through their four PIAA tournament matches without losing a set. The title victory culminated with a 6-3, 6-2, win against North Allegheny's Kelly Whelan and Jen Larimore in the final.

"It's a pretty great feeling," Palko said. "We were really excited and just really happy. The way my senior year ended, I couldn't ask to end it any other way."

The victory against the North Allegheny team was particularly satisfying because it avenged a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, defeat to Whelan and Larimore in the WPIAL final Oct. 12.

"We knew what their strengths and weaknesses were after we played them," Stroyne said. "We knew what we needed to do this time. We went out there with no pressure on us because we were [the lower seed]. We went out there and did what we needed to do.

"All our hard work paid off."

Both are standout singles players -- Palko is ranked No. 7 in the Allegheny Mountain district, which includes Western Pennsylvania, among girls 18 and under -- and Stroyne and Palko usually play singles.

It was obvious the two meshed together well on the court. But perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise seeing how much time the two spend together off the court.

A friendship first was forged about five years ago between Palko and Stroyne's older sister, Kaitlyn, who played third singles for Peters Township. Julie played first singles and Palko second.

"We're really good friends," Julie Stroyne said. "We consider Emily part of the family."

"They're like my second family," Palko said. "I call their mom 'Aunt Sandy' we're that close. They consider me an adopted daughter, right down to the blue eyes and blonde hair.

"We're good friends and that leads to good chemistry on the court"

Although the two don't typically play doubles, they dedicated themselves to learning to work as a team and spent more than an hour each day several days a week training for the WPIAL tournamnent. Each has a strong first serve and is solid at the net, qualities that come in handy in doubles.

Palko will head to college after graduation. She hasn't made a decision on a college yet, but hopes to continue her tennis career at the next level.

Kaitlyn Stroyne will also move on, but Julie has a chance to repeat next season or maybe qualify for the PIAA tournament in singles.

"I'll just work hard see what I can do," she said.