HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS: Vikings One Step Away From State Championship

Tennessee High is now one win away from becoming a state champion.

The Vikings’ girls tennis team defeated two-time defending state champion Houston County 4-1 Tuesday in the state semifinals at Murfreesboro.

Tennessee High (14-2) now advances to the state championship match, where it will face Siegel at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Siegel knocked off Brentwood 4-3 Tuesday afternoon.

“I can’t even find the words to describe my feelings; I just didn’t expect to be here,” Vikings coach Jennie Gardner said. “They had a great program built here and I’ve just had the good fortune to get to walk into it.
“And the girls have improved over the season, just from playing. They just played really great today. So ... this was fun to watch. We beat a team [that] was back-to-back state champions.”

Megan Buckmaster, Jessica Ratliff, Sarah Anderson and Kimberly Smith all recorded wins in singles play for the Vikings, while Tennessee High’s Courtney Conley fell to Allison Hodges 6-1, 6-0.

Buckmaster defeated Sophis Riner 6-2, 6-0; Ratliff knocked off Chloe Morgan 6-2, 6-1; Anderson fought back to win 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 over Haley Wolf, and Smith defeated Jessica Wolford 6-3, 6-2.

“[The girls’] work ethic ... I’m seeing now that they want it. They want it badly,” Gardner said. “We’re really seeing that now. And I think from the disappointment of last year—getting to state and then losing in the first round—today was just huge. Cause know they’re back. They didn’t think they’d have a chance to be back, but now we’re here.”

Individual results:

Allison Hodges def. Courtney Conley (TH) 6-1, 6-0

Megan Buckmaster (TH) def. Sophis Riner 6-2, 6-0

Jessica Ratliff (TH) def. Chloe Morgan 6-2, 6-1

Sarah Anderson (TH) def. Haley Wolf 6-3, 3-6, 7-6

Kimberly Smith (TH)def. Jessica Wolford 6-3, 6-2