By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City-Summertown III is set.
And the Lady Tornadoes are hoping the third time’s the charm.
UC will seek to avenge losses the past two years in the Class 1A team tennis championship on Wednesday at 9 a.m. when it squares off against the Lady Eagles after both won their semifinal matches at the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro Tuesday.
The Twister girls finally put away Signal Mountain 4-2, while two-time reigning champion Summertown eliminated University School of Johnson City 4-1.
Union City will be making its fifth appearance in the finals and is looking for its first title, while Summertown has finished first or second in four of the past five state championships.
The Lady Tornadoes (18-3) tied the program’s record for most wins in a season with their Tuesday victory, matching the mark set in their first state runner-up season in 1999.
It did not come easy, however.
After twin Dani and Davey Frankum, and freshman Emma Mobbs posted impressive straight set singles victories, SM forced the match to doubles play by defeating top UC seeds Shelby Bondurant and Molly Kizer.
Not to be denied, though, the Lady Twister senior duo, who rank 1-2 in all-time wins in the program, rebounded to be beat Brooke Martin and Bindi Patel 8-3 to clinch the match and punch Union City’s finals ticket.
Head coach Tom Sisco insisted there was no panic when the Tornadoes’ opponent shaved their deficit from 3-0 to 3-2.
“I felt like we were still in a good position and were still confident,” Sisco said. “All of our girls play with supreme confidence, and Shelby and Molly shook off whatever disappointment they had from their singles matches and immediately refocused on the task at hand – which was getting us back to the championship round.”
The Frankum sisters and Mobbs gave UC a big cushion with wins at the 3,4, and 5 singles spots. Davey was dominant from the beginning, dispatching Brooke Martin 6-1, 6-2, and Dani and Mobbs followed by winning 6-3, 6-1, and 6-2, 6-4, respectively.
“The twins are playing so well right now and have really kicked it up a notch in the last month or so,” Sisco added. “And Mobbs, she’s just been so steady and essentially unbeatable in the postseason.
“A lot of people talk about our depth, but I go a step further and call it ‘quality depth.’ We have really good players up and down our lineup. Nobody’s just average.”
The coach claimed his team collectively knew they’d have to get past Summertown at some point to reach their ultimate goal.
“I don’t think any of our kids are surprised that’s who we’ll play,” he concluded. “They know us, we know them, and we know each other’s tendencies.
“I truly believe our girls are looking forward to seeing them one more time.”