| By MIKE HUTCHENS
Messenger Sports Editor
MURFREESBORO — Getting to the state tournament is becoming a habit for the Union City High School girls’ tennis program.
The aim is to continue that trend with a longer stay in the very near future.
A third consecutive season with representation at the state’s highest level ended for the Lady Tornadoes Thursday morning when the doubles tandem of Tara Elam and Maddie King was beaten 6-2, 6-1 by the Notre Dame sister duo of Katie and Sarah Joyce in the Class A-AA quarterfinals.
The state tourney appearance was the third straight for Elam and second for King, who advanced to the same juncture last year as a doubles team and with the UC girls in the team competition as well in back-to-back seasons.
Head coach Elizabeth Miller — herself a state participant during her UCHS playing days — believes the novelty of just reaching the event has worn off and that her troops will soon break through with victories in both the team and individual competition.
“We’re over just ‘getting here,’ and I really don’t think that the nerves are a factor anymore,” Miller said at the conclusion of Thursday’s match. “We’re not overwhelmed by the caliber of competition we see here. We were competitive in both the team match (4-3 loss to Columbia Academy) in Tuesday’s semifinals, and today’s doubles was closer than the score indicates.
“It’s a great compliment to our girls and the program to advance this far, and I really believe everybody involved is committed to getting back here again next year and winning.”
The Elam-King tandem struggled to hold its serve Thursday vs. the Joyce siblings and had an uncharacteristically high number of unforced errors in the straight-set loss.
In all, the Irish broke Union City’s serve seven times, though three deuce games in the first set came down to a single point.
King, just a sophomore and the Lady Twisters’ No. 1 singles’ player, said it was indeed “just one of those days,” at the most inopportune times for the Purple and Gold.
“It’s disappointing to stand and have to watch the season end the way it did today, because we could’ve played better,” Miller continued. “They were more consistent. I think we just had a mental block with our serve after a while. They had a defensive lobber, and the other sister just hit winners. Today, they were better.”
The ever-optimistic coach — after consoling her pair — almost immediately turned her attention to the future after the 75-minute match.
“Our girls who rode in the car with me, the freshmen, they were just as excited as the ones who are playing,” said Miller, who was aided by husband Michael Paul in encouraging and instructing players on both the girls’ and boys’ teams all season. “They are seeing what it’s like to be on this stage and were talking about what they were going to do to get better between now and next spring.
“I’m thankful that my administration allows me to bring more than just the Top 6, because it’s a great learning experience for everybody involved. Our younger kids are really getting into it. They don’t take long breaks from the end of the season or during the offseason. They hit through the winter months, and I know the parents are putting more money and time to their children getting better.”
She’s convinced, too, that an extended state tourney stay is not far off.
“I feel like each year (we make it to state) adds more to our progress — both as a team and as individuals,” Miller concluded. “We do a little more in practice the next year, a little more in the offseason and are a little more committed to getting better.
“We’ve made some good strides in the last few years, but we certainly can get better.”
With a specific goal in mind, that process will start immediately.
Sports editor Mike Hutchens can be contacted by email at mhutch@ucmessenger.com. Published in The Messenger 5.24.13 |
