By Thomas Grant Jr.
For the second straight year, Gray Collegiate Academy’s quest for a first state title in girls’ tennis came down to one match.
Last year, the Lady War Eagles lost 4-3 to A.C. Flora in the Class 4A final. This past Saturday at the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center, they faced a Mauldin team that upended Chapin 4-3 in the Upper State final.
After five singles and one doubles match, Gray Collegiate Academy and the Lady Mavericks were deadlocked at 3-3. The final doubles match pitted the team of top singles’ player junior Morgan Horlback and Alisa Petushko for the Lady War Eagles against Catherine Poleto and Jordin Floyd.
The two teams split the first two sets, setting up a tiebreaker in the deciding set. Mauldin had a 7-4 lead before the Lady War Eagles scored three straight points to tie the match.
They remained tied at 9-9 when the Lady Mavericks took the lead. On the next point, Petushko’s volley was ruled out and Mauldin came away with the 11-9 win for the title.
“These girls really stepped up when they needed to,” Gray Collegiate Academy head coach Madison Conwell said. “I have a great team of girls. They never give up. They have the grit. Unfortunately, we came up short this year like they did last year in the worst way possible in number one doubles. But, I’m super proud of this group.”
Along with Horlback, Gray Collegiate Academy returns eighth grader Anna Boone, freshmen Cecily Lokodi, Payton Holliday and Zoey Washington, sophomores Petushko, Maggie McMahan, Molly Vyskocil and Heidi Chapman. It graduates Kate Synder, Stella Malcolm and Ella McMahan.
