| MURFREESBORO — Playing a team from across the state was a world away for Union City.
The Lady Tornadoes suffered their first team loss of the season with a 4-0 setback to Christian Academy of Knoxville in the TSSAA Class A-AA State Team Tournament this morning at Old Fort Park.
UC concludes the team portion of its 2012 season with a 17-1 record.
The four individual match losses today topped by one the number of matches Union City lost all season.
The Lady Twisters entered the state tournament with wins in 113 of their 116 matches played.
“They looked a lot like Trinity Christian, just more refined,” UC head coach Elizabeth Miller said of the Lady Warriors. “They are consistent in everything they do. This was by far the best team we’ve played all year, no doubt
“Our girls played well. We were able to hit with them. But, CAK is just a better team. They had to beat us, though. We didn’t go out there and do things to beat ourselves.”
It does not mark the end of the state tournament experience for all members of the Union City girls’ team, however.
On Thursday, Maddie King and Anna Moore will get a second shot at CAK as they will play Lady Warriors’ seniors Barbara Smith and Haleigh Chastain in the quarterfinals of the A-AA state girls’ doubles tourney.
That match will also be played at Old Fort Park, beginning at noon.
Those seniors led the way for the Warriors.
Barbara Smith posted a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Maddie King at the top seed, while Chastain rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 verdict over Anna Moore at the second spot.
Third-seeded and 14-year-old Leighton Porter, who Miller described as probably CAK’s best overall player, notched a 6-1, 6-0 decision over Jenna Miller.
At the fifth spot, Caroline Murchison took a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Ellen Bearden.
Miller said Murchison was obviously CAK’s fifth-best player but was on par with Region 7A-AA’s champion, Mary C. Sharpe of Haywood.
Looking ahead, Miller knows it will be a challenge, to say the least, to knock off CAK’s top two seeds on Thursday.
“We’ll practice tonight and talk over some strategy, but as a whole, we’ll just have to play very well to win,” she said.
UC will also take a shot at four individual state championships in track on Thursday and Friday
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Singles
1. Barbara Smith (CAK) d. Maddie King (UC) 6-1, 6-2
2. Haleigh Chastain (CAK) d. Anna Moore (UC) 6-1, 6-0
3. Leighton Porter (CAK) d. Jenna Miller (UC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Holly Chastain (CAK) was leading Tara Elam (UC) 6-4, 3-0
5. Caroline Murchison (CAK) d. Ellen Bearden (UC) 6-0, 6-1 Published in The Messenger 5.22.12 |
