MACON, Ga. - The Mount Vernon varsity girls team is headed to the Elite 8, marking the first time any Mount Vernon tennis squad has advanced that far in the school's GHSA era.
The Mustangs defeated the defending Class-A Private State Champion and no. 1 seeded Lady Vikings 3-2 on Tuesday afternoon, April 26, at FPD's South Athletic Complex.
Sofia Tur clinched the match for the Mustangs at no. 1 singles winning 6-3/4-6/7-6 (8-6).
"The undisputed heroine of the day was Sofia," Head Coach Sheldon Staples said. "She took the first set 6-3 and lost the second set 4-6 thanks in part to the fact that she was suffering physically. The third set was grueling to watch as Sofia was doubled over in pain through the whole set and the subsequent tiebreaker."
Added Staples: "Somehow, our gutsy Sofia pulled off the tiebreaker 8-6, clinching the win for the team. It was an unforgettable performance we will be talking about for years."
The Mustangs also got a win from no. 2 singles Daniela O'Leary 6-2/6-3.
Mount Vernon's no. 2 doubles team of Ashley Burke and Reagan Wissman were triumphant as well, 6-2/6-0.
"There literally was never a doubt (with our no. 2 doubles team)," Staples said. "They played great."
The Mustangs (16-3) will take on George Walton Academy in the Elite 8 in Monroe, Ga.
The Bulldogs defeated the Whitefield Academy Wolfpack 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon to advance.
Mount Vernon's Elite 8 match must be completed by May 3 according to the GHSA playoff bracket.
"I couldn't be more proud of the girls," Staples said. "Everyone played a role in this victory and we are thankful to be moving on."
Stay updated on the Mustangs in the state playoffs on and on Twitter by following @MV_Athletics.
For the entire 2022 GHSA Class-A Private Girls Tennis State Tournament bracket .
Established in 1972, The Mount Vernon School, serves over 1,200 students in preschool through grade 12 on our 40 acre Atlanta campus. As a leading visionary independent school, Mount Vernon’s brand of innovation and entrepreneurship has emerged over the last decade, impacting schools in the US and across the globe through Mount Vernon Ventures, a research, strategy, and consulting division of the School. In addition, in 2021 the School launched a global online program for grade 9-12 to meet the needs of today’s flexible family. Through established partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and civic environments, our mission is to design a better world...together.
GIRLS TENNIS UPENDS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN DAY 3-2 EN ROUTE TO FIRST ELITE EIGHT APPEARANCE
