EATON — Eaton’s girls tennis team added a league championship last week to its already impressive season, as well as advancing in the state team tournament.
The Eagles scored the maximum amount of points en route to winning the inaugural Southwestern Buckeye League West Division title. Eaton won every match during the regular season and capped of the title by sweeping all five championships at the league tournament on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at Thomas Cloud Park.
Eaton tallied 50 points for the season. Valley View finished as the runner-up with 38. Madison (30), Brookville (19) and Carlisle (13) round out the standings.
At first singles, Macy Hitchcock defeated Brookville and Valley View without dropping a game, making her a three-time champion at first singles. At second singles, Mallory Hitchcock defeated Carlisle and Madison, also without dropping a game.
Finishing with third singles, Grace Murphy defeated Brookville and Valley View, only dropping just one game in the finals.
At first doubles, Anna Kramer and Haneet Kang defeated Brookville and Valley View, only dropping one game in the semi-finals.
At second doubles, Laura Dillon and Harmony Atkinson defeated Brookville 6-0 and 6-1 and had a tightly contested finals with Valley View, which they won 7-5, 6-3.
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, Eaton knocked off state power Cincinnati Indian Hill, 3-2, to advances in the state team tournament.
“A hard fought battle,” Eaton coach John Hitchcock said. “Doubles struggled to get anything going. Mallory played very well against another freshman and stayed in control from start to finish. Defended well but improved her offensive playing which is reflected in the score. Grace held her own and had to weather a bit of second set jitters before closing out second set. The deciding court came down to Macy’s first singles court where her opponent was giving her everything she could handle. She let a 5-2 lead slip to 5-4 before she secured the first set. The second set was a true battle of wills. Both girls realizing the match was on the line but Macy with veteran experience was able to work through the downs of the set and just came up big on the big points. She fought off and saved one set point before finally capturing match point at 7-5.”
At first singles, Macy Hitchcock defeated Brooke Arington 6-4, 7-5, and at second singles Mallory Hitchcock defeated Caroline Brown 6-1, 6-1. Grace Murphy at third singles defeated Hannah Pollock 6-1, 6-4.
At first doubles, Anna Kramer and Haneet Kang lost to Larsen and Larsen 0-6, 2-6, and at second doubles, Laura Dillon and Harmony Atkinson lost 0-6, 0-6.
The Eagles began the week with a 4-1 win over Oakwood. At first singles, Macy Hitchcock defeated Sarah Hall 6-2, 6-2. Mallory Hitchcock defeated Claudia Schnell 6-1, 6-0 in second singles play and Grace Murphy defeated Yetta Krummel Adkins 6-0, 6-0 at third singles.
At first doubles, Anna Kramer and Haneet Kang lost to Rich and Riggs 2-6, 4-6, and at second doubles, Laura Dillon and Harmony Atkinson defeated Bauer and Meehan 6-4, 6-2.
Eaton was scheduled to begin sectional play on Monday, Oct. 4 with the semifinal and final rounds scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 6.
