Led by a 9-7 win at No.1 singles by Sarah Faith Ingell, the Notre Dame girls tennis team defeated host Chattanooga Christian, 5-2, while the Irish boys stopped CCS, 7-0, in district matches Monday.
Girls Match: The defending A-AA state champion Irish won four of five singles and split the two doubles matches to move to 8-0 overall and 1-0 in district play, while CCS is 4- overall and 1-1 in district play. Notre Dame hosts district foe Signal Mountain next Tuesday at the Champions Club.
Comeback I: at No.1 singles, junior Sarah Faith Ingell (ND) trailed 0-2, 3-5 and 6-7 before winning the final three games to edge eighth grader Bailey Dishmon, 9-7.
Comeback II: at No. 3 singles, CCS ninth grader Addie Henry fought off four match points and went on to win the pro set 9-8 (7-2) in the seven point tie-breaker against Bowie Strozak.
Henry is the last of four siblings to play high school tennis following brother, David, (McCallie) and sisters Ellie and Hannah (CCS).
Boys Match: The Irish (6-2, 1-0) were led by J.R. Davis who won singles and doubles at the No.1 spot. CCS is 2-9 and 0-2.
Coaches Quotes: “Our players on both the boys and girls teams played well, it was good to get the district wins on the road and we look forward to the district match with Signal Mountain next week,” said Notre Dame coach Nancy Fox.
“Our girls are young and I am excited to see how they develop throughout the season,” said first year coach Brian Bass, who played at BGA and then Birmingham Southern. “Players on both teams are working hard and want to improve.”
Notre Dame Girls 5, CCS 2
Doubles
1 Sarah Faith Ingell/Mary Margaret Haywood (ND) def. Bailey Dishmon/Addie Henry, 8-5
2 Anne Reynolds-Smith (CCS) def. Bowie Strozak/Jessica Moore (ND), 9-8 (9-7)
Singles
1 Sarah Faith Ingell (ND) def. Bailey Dishmon, 9-7
2 Mary Margaret Haywood (ND) def. Olivia Torbett, 8-4
3 Addie Henry (CCS) def. Bowie Strozak, 9-8 (7-2)
4 Jessica Moore (ND) def. Annie Reynolds, 8-2
5 Liza Davini (ND) def. Elizabeth Huffecker, 8-5
Notre Dame Boys 7, CCS 0
Doubles
1 J.R. Davis-Aaron Marini (ND) def. Preston Poe-Ryan Rhodes, 8-1
2 Jonathan Polean-Nick Coronis (ND) def. Alex Byars-Nate Plating, 8-1
Singles
1 J.R. Davis (ND) def. Preston Poe, 8-2
2 Will Ingell (ND) def. Ryan Rhodes, 8-3
3 Jonathan Polean (ND) def, Alex Byars, 8-6
4 Nick Coronis (ND) def. Nate Plating, 8-2
5 Aaron Marini (ND) def. Dave Baker, 8-4
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net