Chattanooga Christian Girls in State Tennis Finals

[bbb]

MURFREESBORO - Senior Gracie Smith won a key singles match and the Henry sisters(Ellie and Hannah) clinched the match at No.1doubles as Chattanooga Christian defeated Christian Academy of Knoxville, 4-2, here Tuesday in a state semifinals match in D-I A-AA girls tennis of the BlueCross Spring Fling XX.

 

"It was a great match and Gracie winning her singles match to give us a 3-2 lead going intro doubles was really big," said CCS coach Sue Webb.

 

CCS plays for the state title at 2:30 p.m. EST Wednesday at a location to be selected Wednesday morning due to the forecast of rain.

 

The state championship matches in all divisions will most likely be played in the Nashville area since there are no indoor courts in Murfreesboro.

 

"We played well to get to a 6-3 lead (in 8-game pro set format), but we have a tendency to relax when we have big leads," said Ellie Henry who along with Hannah are defending state doubles champs.

 

"And when we were up 7-5 and had four matches points we still told each other that it's not over and play hard every point."

 

State Champs: The last time CCS won a girls state tennis title current seniors Ellie Henry, Gracie Smith and Allie Sullivan were seventh graders and watched the Chargers beat CAK for the title.

 

Hoping For a Good Exit: CCS head coach Sue Webb retires as the girls varsity coach after tomorrow's final and will direct the CCS middle school tennis program next school year.

 

Editorial--

 

State Tourney Tennis Needs Improving: Due to two rain delays, 24 of the 32 scheduled matches were delayed three hours or more ... Since Murfreesboro has no indoor courts and no indoor courts in the Nashville area were reserved for the week prior to Spring Fling XX, teams had to wait for the courts at Old Fort Park to dry.

 

Also, an official should have been assigned to each of the semis matches in the eight divisions ... There was only one official assigned to the MTSU site as the CCS girls and Notre Dame boys (who lost to CAK, 4-2) played their matches at the same time.

 

Tennis is the only Spring Fling sport which does not have an official (or umpire in the case of baseball and softball) for each match or game.

 

The lack of no reserved indoor courts, not having officials for each match and no scorecards on each court at MTSU is unacceptable and must be changed ... the student-athletes deserve better ... coaches and school administrators need to make sure these issues are addressed to TSSAA officials and the host Rutherford County Recreation Dept. and improved for Spring Fling XXI.

 

contact B.B.Branton at William.branton@comcast.net

Edited May 22, 2013 by bbb