The Lady Hornets Tennis team traveled back to Noyes’ Sports Complex for the annual MEC Championship tournament on Wednesday.
Juniors Rylee Washburn and Isabella (Izzy) Garr dominated on the courts all day with powerhouse doubles play. The pair first beat Maryville’s No. 2 Doubles team Shiel and Williams with a commanding 8-0 performance.
Then play moved to best 2 out of 3 sets, which Chillicothe had not yet played this year. Chilli’s dynamic duo swept St. Pius’ No. 2 Doubles team of Holum and Mussorici in two sets by back-to-back scores of 6-0.
Then, the Hornet pair had a redemption match against LeBlond’s No. 1 Doubles pairing of sisters King & King who Washburn and Garr lost to in a tight match during the Benton Tournament. Washburn and Garr won the semi-final match 6-0, 6-3.
In the championship match-up, the pair faced off against St. Pius’ No. 1 Doubles pair of sisters A. Dunn & K. Dunn who came in undefeated in the MEC this year as the clear No. 1 seed for the day’s Doubles tournament.
Washburn and Garr battled hard, taking most games to deuce and truly holding their own against such worthy opponents. Ultimately, St. Pius came away with the Doubles championship with a final score of 3-6, 3-6.
Chillicothe also played another doubles pair throughout the day for individual MEC results. Chillicothe’s No. 2 Doubles, Kieffer & Crowe, lost their first match against Benton’s No. 1 Doubles team 6-8. However, they fought hard and won the next two matches against LeBlond’s No. 2 pair 8-2 and Maryville’s No. 1 pair 8-6. Kieffer and Crowe came up just one step short of the 5th place match after losing again to Benton’s No. 1 team 1-8.
In Singles play, Cami Carpenter represented the Hornets in No. 1 singles and Bryton BeVelle in No. 2 singles.
Carpenter won against Maryville 8-0, fell to Benton 6-7 (tie break 2-7), 4-6, and then fell to LeBlond 4-8. BeVelle had a tough first round draw against the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Cameron’s Twarowska, losing 1-8. But she bounced back quickly winning against Lafayette 9-7. Then, she lost a very close battle against Savannah 8-8 (tie break 3-7).
The Lady Hornets begin individual district play on Saturday morning at Trenton, followed by Team District play on their home courts at Danner Park Monday afternoon.
