The Marion Scarlet Hurricanes went the distance on Monday and now the girls tennis team at the Smyth County school will go for a repeat.
Marion earned a 5-4 win over the Radford Bobcats in a VHSL Class 2 state semifinal match played at Virginia Tech.
Marion held a 4-2 lead after singles, but didn’t clinch the win until Bailey Russell and Ava Austin at No. 2 doubles earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Alex Bernethy and Ellie Steele.
The ‘Canes will play the winner of today’s Poquoson and Central-Woodstock match on Thursday at 11 a.m. on the campus of Liberty University as they go for their second straight championship. Marion beat Poquoson in the 2023 finals.
Marion (19-2) earned every point on Monday.
“Our teams are so evenly matched,” said Marion boss Doug Grubb. “They both played their hearts out today. Neither team left anything on the court. I am so proud of these girls. Even when were down in a couple of the top-three matches, they fought back and persevered. And to have Ava and Bailey seal the deal was magical.”
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Parker White, Ava Austin, Maddie Austin and Hope Robinson won their singles matches for Marion.
“It was another close match between Radford and Marion,” said Radford coach John Ferguson. “Our girls fought well, but we fell short in a couple of matches that would have made the difference. Hats off to the Marion team for capitalizing on their opportunities.”
Meanwhile, it will be a Wythe County showdown in Class 1 girls as Fort Chiswell heads to George Wythe today for a semifinal match. Fort Chiswell recorded a 5-3 quarterfinal win at Grundy on Monday.
VHSL Class 2 State Semifinals
Parker White (M) def. Lydia Pratt, 5-7, 6-0, 11-9; Ava Austin (M) def. Claire Fender, 6-1, 6-0; Maddie Austin (M) def. Ellie Steele, 7-5, 7-5; Whitney McGregor (R) def. Bailey Russell, 6-4, 6-3; Lillee Hurst (R) def. Olivia Blevins, 6-0, 6-0; Hope Robinson (M) def. Alex Bernethy, 6-0, 7-5.
Pratt-Fender (R) def. White-M. Austin, 6-3, 6-3; A. Austin-Russell (M) def. Steele-Bernethy, 6-3, 6-4; McGregor-Hurst (R) def. O. Blevins-Robinson, 6-2, 6-3.
The John Battle Trojans saw their season end with a Class 1/2 semifinal loss to Radford in a match played Monday at Virginia Tech.
Will Crump at No. 2 singles and Caleb Lockhart at No. 5 singles were responsible for Battle’s wins.
VHSL Class 1/2 State Semifinals
Adam McGregor (R) def. Connor Davidson, 3-6, 6-2 (10-1); Will Crump (JB) def. Justyn Gilmore, 6-1, 6-3; Mason Murphy (R) def. Jackson Gayle, 7-6, 6-3; Max Kanipe (R) def. Brodie Ratliff, 6-2, 7-5; Caleb Lockhart (JB) def. Jeremy Gilmore, 6-1, 5-7 (10-1); Eli Blackwell (R) def. Nalan Murthy, 6-0, 6-0.
Kanipe-Blacwell (R) def. Gayle-Ratliff, 6-0, 6-2.
