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BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — It’s the rematch all expected. And it’s the rematch they’re going to get.
The Knoxville Catholic girls tennis team will once again meet Baylor in the Division II-AA state championship match at the TSSAA Spring Fling, via both teams’ semifinal wins Tuesday.
The Lady Irish, who are No. 1 in the country, cruised to a 4-0 win in their semifinal against Ensworth while Baylor did the same (4-0) in a win over Hutchison.
Catholic has played — and beaten Baylor — in each of the last two Division II-AA state championships. It won 4-0 over Baylor last season after a more hard-fought, 4-2 win in 2021.
The match is slated for a 9 a.m. start Wednesday at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro.
Gigi Sompayrac of the Knoxville Catholic High School girls tennis team during 2022 Spring Fling. (Photo by Charles Mays Media).
“Our mindset going into tomorrow’s match against Baylor is a mix of excitement and determination,” Catholic senior Gigi Sompayrac said. “Baylor has always been a tough opponent for us, and we’re well aware of the challenges they bring.
“But we’re also confident in our abilities and the hard work we’ve put in throughout the season.”
Sompayrac coasted in her singles match Tuesday against Ensworth, dispensing of Selin Meitkamp, 6-1, 6-0.
Maeve Thornton, the Furman signee and two-time defending Division II-AA singles champion, was leading her match 6-1, 3-1, against Avery Franklin when the team match concluded with the Lady Irish’s winning point.
Lillian Murphy, playing in the No. 2 slot for Catholic, led her match, as well, 6-1, 4-1.
Sompayrac, Eleni Liakonis (6-1, 6-0) and Payton Carroll (6-0, 6-0) got points for Catholic in singles play.
Thornton/Sompayrac (8-0) and Murphy/Liakonis (8-2) also won doubles matches for Catholic.
CAK BOYS MAKE THE FINALE
The CAK Warriors won an all-timer of a match against University School of Nashville, 4-3, to go to Wednesday’s Division II-A Boys Tennis Team Championship match against defending-champion Lausanne.
Henry Stack (6-4, 6-3) and Bennett Dickerson (6-2, 7-6) won lengthy matches in the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots for USN.
But CAK got wins at No. 3 (Caleb Climer), No. 4 (Sam Duzan) and No. 5 (Jayden Torry).
Climer and Duzan cruised in their matches. Torry battled like mad to win over USN’s Simon Fox, 6-7, 7-5, 6-2.
Climer and Duzan’s won in doubles, 8-1.
CAK is looking for its first boys’ tennis team title since 2017. That match against Lausanne is scheduled for an 11:30 a.m. Central time start on Wednesday at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro.
IN OTHER AREA TENNIS MATCHES
The CAK Lady Warriors fell, 4-2, to Lausanne in the Division II-A semifinals. Allie Faulkner (6-0, 6-1) and Larkin Bristol (5-7, 7-6, 6-2) notched points for CAK during the match in the No. 1 and No. 2 players slots.
The McMinn County girls lost, 4-2, to Houston in the Division I, Class AA semifinals. McMinn County got wins in the No. 1 and No. 2 slots via Kylee Hockman (6-1, 6-0) and Elena Kurowski (6-0, 6-0).