GPS duo now state champs

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Emma McCallie of GPS, left, claps hands with doubles teammate Michelle Fleenor.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - After a combined five runner-up finishes over the past three seasons, Michelle Fleenor and Emma McCallie were ready to win a state tennis championship. Friday afternoon, they got it done.

The Girls Preparatory duo defeated Harpeth Hall's Liza Southwick and Emma Alsop 6-4, 6-0 for the Division II-AA state doubles title. McCallie was a doubles finalist last season, when Fleenor was the singles runner-up. In addition, the two were on the past three Bruisers team runner-up squads.

Not surprisingly, they were happy to be champions again.

"It's indescribable," Fleenor said. "We had been second so many times that we can become a little used to it, but now that we've won we've heightened the expectations some."

Fleenor is a junior, but McCallie's career ends at the BlueCross Spring Fling as it began -- as a champion. She was on the last GPS team state champion in 2010.

"Harpeth Hall came out strong against us today, but we got the momentum and kept it going," McCallie said. "I had two good bookends, and it was a great end to a great career."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.