The current seniors on Soddy-Daisy’s girls’ tennis team were denied having undefeated head-to-head seasons each year throughout their high school careers because of what happened in 2016. A close loss to East Hamilton around this time of year left the Lady Hurricanes District 5-AAA champions and left the Lady Trojans from a postseason advance.
But those seniors helped make it three of four undefeated regular seasons Tuesday at the Racquet Club by defeating East Hamilton 6-3 and winning the district title.
Soddy-Daisy will advance to Region 3 play May 10 at the Champions Club, where the Lady Trojans will take on District 6 champion Cookeville.
Soddy-Daisy tennis player Olivia Crawley returns the ball during her doubles tennis match with teammate Bailey Coyner against East Hamilton at the Racquet Club tennis courts on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Soddy-Daisy’s No. 1 singles player, Olivia Crawley, won her match 8-6 over Sydney Datillo. Crawley lost her first match of the season when the Lady Trojans played McMinn County and hasn’t lost in the 11 matches since.
“We just wanted redemption, really,” Crawley said of the Lady ‘Canes being the final regular-season opponent. “They knocked us out of district last year. We always know it’s going to be a tough match with them. They had one senior last year and we graduated one, but we got it this year.”