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One Away

Eventually, Western’s girls tennis players will get a chance to play doubles in a postseason match…right?

“Hopefully, doubles is so much fun,” said Western’s No. 1 Emily Kochard. “We’ve been playing some really strong tennis so far though.”

Because of that strong tennis, that doubles group is down to one last chance now. The Warriors beat Lafayette 5-1 Tuesday afternoon in the Group 3A semifinals, advancing to the state championship match for the second year in a row. Western (23-0) will face York, the Region 3A East champion, in the final.

Western rolled 5-0 in each of their conference and region playoff matches in the lead up to the state final four and cruised again against the Rams on a sweltering, humid day in Crozet.

“Obviously it was really hot so we had to drink a lot of water and try and get off to a good start,” said Western’s Maddy Ix.

Kochard and Ix were off the court first, with Kochard rolling 6-0, 6-1 in a victory that helped the Warriors set the tone in the heat.

“Definitely going out strong was an important of my match and I’m sure everyone else’s matches too,” Kochard said. “We just made sure we stayed hydrated today.”

Ix shook off some early nerves that led to a 6-3 win in the first set to roll 6-0 in her second set against Lafayette’s Hannah Trueblood.

“I kind of had to stop and reassess what I was doing and then I was able to get into a rhythm,” Ix said.

After Lauren Kearns beat Maia Roseweish 6-3, 6-1 and Savannah Diamond won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6, Western lead 4-1 with Haley Quarles snagging Lafayette’s lone win at No. 5 singles.

That left Stephanie Barton fighting to close out the match against Tawni Hatcher, up a set with a 7-5 victory. But a quick splash of rain led to a pause in the match and Barton, already up in the second set, took advantage.

“I thought it was nice to rest and think about what I’d done to that point and be able to continue that,” Barton said.

She closed out the match with a 6-3 win just as two of the doubles matches were getting warmed up, cutting short a chance for the doubles groups to be a factor for the Warriors yet again.

“It’s a little nervewracking because we haven’t had to play doubles but that’s a really big confidence booster and we’re ready for anything that comes at us on Saturday,” Barton said.

The Warriors will take on York Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Liberty University in Lynchburg.

Western 5, Lafayette 1

Group 3A Semifinals

1. Emily Kochard (WAHS) def. Libby Bland (LHS), 6-0, 6-1

2. Maddy Ix (WAHS) def. Hannah Trueblood (LHS), 6-3, 6-0

3. Lauren Kearns (WAHS) def. Maia Rosewelsh (LHS), 6-3, 6-1

4. Stephanie Barton (WAHS) def. Tawni Hatcher (LHS), 7-5, 6-3

5. Haley Quarles (LHS) def. Maggie Roesch (WAHS), 6-1, 6-2

6. Savannah Diamond (WAHS) def. Robin Rosewelsh (LHS), 6-0, 6-0

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