Greencastle outlasts Patriots to advance

Thursday, May 17, 2012
Greencastle No.1 doubles player Carlie Harlan sets the sights on the ball during Wednesday's sectional opener against Owen Valley. The Tiger Cubs won 3-2 over the Patriots.

BRAZIL -- Greencastle opened its sectional run against Owen Valley at Northview Wednesday, earning a 3-2 win in exciting fashion. The win catapults the Tiger Cubs into the sectional semifinal where they will face South Vermillion tonight following the first match between South Putnam and the host Knights.

The two squads faced off on March 9, with the Patriots coming away with a 4-1 win. In Wednesday's match, the Tiger Cubs played controlled and were able to turn the tables on the Patriots to get the win.

Head coach Sally Martin expressed how pleased she was with the growth of her team this season following the match.

"My girls have grown skill-wise all the way through, from top to bottom, including my junior varsity. I'm so proud of them and they play with class," Martin said.

With the match knotted up at 2-all, the deciding factor came down to the No. 1 doubles match. Greencastle's Sabrina Arnold and Carlie Harlan took the first set, but Owen Valley's Jocelyn McKay and Taylar Ranard battled back to win the second set to force a third set to decide the match.

In the third set, Arnold and Harlan came out with more energy and tore through the set, winning 6-0 to give Greencastle a 3-2 win and earn them a spot in the semifinal.

"If it was going to come down to a split and a decision on any of the courts, the ones that would fight to the death, they all would have, but having Carlie and Sabrina -- that's it," Martin said.

Hallie Romer, Greencastle's No. 1 singles player, blasted her way through her opponent, winning 6-1, 6-0 to get things rolling for the Tiger Cubs.

Owen Valley equaled the Tiger Cubs with one win as No. 2 singles player Victoria Byerly defeated Greencastle's Harriet Watson 6-1, 6-3.

The Patriots were able to seize a 2-1 advantage as the No. 2 doubles team of Hannah Corder and Tiffany Kong took down the Tiger Cub duo of Bailey Brewer and Katie Burns 7-5, 6-3.

Greencastle's No. 3 singles player Kayla Chadd won 7-5, 6-2 over Owen Valley's Rachel Truax, winning on a nasty cross-court backhand to even the overall match up at two wins each and set up the showdown at No. 1 doubles.

Martin said she recently posed the question to her team of why they come to tennis practice. She received a response from her No. 1 singles player that summed up that practice is more than just bettering herself at the game of tennis.

"'I come because I want to get better, but I also want to show that I can be a leader' and I think she's shown it," Martin said.

She also noted that Sabrina Arnold was a member of the South Putnam team last season, so she felt tonight was a win for not only Greencastle, but for Putnam County itself.

The Tiger Cubs will face South Vermillion tonight following the first match between South Putnam and Northview at 5 p.m.

At Northview

IHSAA Girls' Tennis Sectional

Greencastle 3, Owen Valley 2

Singles

No. 1: Romer (GHS) def. Samick (OV) 6-1, 6-0

No. 2: Byerly (OV) def. Watson (GHS) 6-1, 6-3

No. 3: Chadd (GHS) def. Truax (OV) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles

No. 1: Arnold/Harlan (GHS) def. McKay/Ranard (OV) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0

No. 2: Corder/Kong (OV) def. Brewer/Burns (GHS) 7-5, 6-3