Tigers, Stars advance in tennis sectional
May 20—LEBANON — After a delay of a day, the tennis sectional got underway at Lebanon on Thursday evening.
Lebanon and Western Boone both won their first round matches to advance in the tournament.
The Tigers topped Frankfort 5-0.
"We had one of our best practices leading into this match, and we just wanted to enjoy the match and take care of business," Lebanon head coach Joe LePage said. "We wanted to control what we could control, and that's exactly what the kids didn't today. A lot of girls got on top and didn't look back. That was great to see."
At No. 1 singles, Ava Lehmkuhler defeated Libby Pierce 6-3, 6-4. At No. 2 singles, Molly Barber defeated Emma Wilder 6-1, 6-3 and at No.3 singles, Breanna Page defeated Elizabeth Kurth 6-2, 6-0.
At No. 1 doubles, Irene Ranson & Michelle Horvat defeated Carleigh Williams & Lilly Holston 6-1, 6-0 and at No. 2 doubles, Kate Williams & Aaliyah Carlisle defeated Alaina Dudley & Jocelyn Seward 6-0, 6-1.
"At No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles, this was their first sectional, so we wanted them to start focusing on the future too," LePage said. "We wanted them to do things in the match that will benefit them next year. We wanted them to just focus on their game and executed."
The Tigers will now face Zionsville on Friday.
"We know it's Goliath and we are very much a David," LePage said. "We are focused on setting little goals in each match. We want the seniors at 1 doubles to have something to hang their hats on and the rest of the girls are underclassmen, so it will show them things to improve on heading into summer workouts and into next season."
Western Boone topped Rossville 3-1, with one match to be concluded on Friday afternoon.
"I feel really good about the way we played," Western Boone head coach Colin Haney said. "We lost to them 3-2 earlier in the year, so it felt good to be able to turn that around today."
Haney said he felt like the biggest difference from the first match to the second against the Hornets was the start the Stars got off to.
Western Boone won four of the five first sets in the match.
"We did a much better job today of starting fast," Haney said. "We jumped out ahead and then used that momentum moving forward."
Western Boone took both doubles matches quickly.
At No. 1 doubles, Maddie Hawkins and Makaila Arnold won 6-1, 6-0 over Lillian Sharp and Demi Freeman. At No. 2 doubles, Jada Smith and Olivia Neff topped Demi Freeman and Chloe Rodkey 6-4, 6-2.
"We love our doubles teams," Haney said. "We have relied on them all year and they time and time again have come through. They did what they do today."
Western Boone clinched the win at No. 2 singles, with Jaden Maze topping Sydney McCullough 6-4, 7-5.
At No. 3 singles, Rossville's Ella Burkle topped Leelah Fettig 6-1, 6-4.
The No. 1 singles match between WeBo's Marli Ransom and Rossville's Addison Hale was suspended due to rain.
Ransom won the first set 7-6 (9-7) and Hale is leading the second set 5-2.
Regardless of the outcome, Western Boone will face the winner of Lebanon/Zionsville for the sectional title on Saturday.
"We know they're a great program," Haney said. "But we just have to play the team that lines up in front of us and give it everything we have."
Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.
