Panther women’s tennis is deep in the state playoffs for the fifth straight year.
After their six top players advanced to regionals as individuals, on the week of Oct. 13 Franklin dove into the dual team state playoffs, hosting East Rowan and traveling to North Lincoln. With wins over both they advanced to the tournament’s third round, ahead of the 5A West Regionals over the weekend.
With an 11-5 record this regular season, Franklin entered the playoffs as 5A’s 22nd-ranked team hosting #40 East Rowan in Round 1. At the Macon County Rec Park Oct. 13, the Panthers made quick work of the team from Salisbury, winning all six singles matches in convincing fashion.
At Nos. 4 and 5, Eva Holland and Carah Reynolds blanked their opponents 6-0, 6-0; while Marlee Barnes (#1), Clara Stork (#2), Olivia Rinker (#3), and Elsie Phillips (#6) dropped just eight games between them. With the outcome already decided, both teams agreed to forgo the contest’s doubles portion.
After routing the Mustangs, on Oct. 15 Franklin traveled to North Lincoln for a second-round match with the eighth-ranked Knights. There both teams looked evenly matched in singles, splitting the first six matches 3-3.
At #3 Rinker played the match of the day for Franklin, splitting her first two sets but claiming the match tiebreak [6-2, 1-6, (10-5)]. At #4 Holland cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win, while Barnes prevailed 6-3, 6-2 at #1. At #5 Reynolds split her first two sets 4-6, 6-2, but lost a razor-thin match tiebreak 10-12.
Still tied entering the doubles portion, Franklin needed wins in two of its three matches to advance, earning one at #2 from Rinker and Holland 8-3. At #1, Barnes and Stork won a hard-fought match 8-6, earning an all-important fifth win to complete the upset.
Upon returning home from North Lincoln, Franklin turned their attention to the 5A West Regional, traveling to Hickory City Park Oct. 17-18. There the Panthers competed as individuals for berths to the State Championship Oct. 24-25. Regional results were not yet available as of press time.
Upon returning home from Hickory, the Panthers turned their attention back to the dual team playoffs, traveling to West Rowan for a third-round match Oct. 20. There they battled the seventh-ranked Falcons for a spot in the state quarterfinals Oct. 22. The Press will report on that contest’s results as well as the 5A West Regional’s in next week’s edition.