LEXINGTON — Corbin seventh-grader Isabella Lopez is two wins away from capturing the KHSAA Girls’ State Tennis Tournament singles championship after rallying to win both of her matches on Wednesday.
Lopez is now 4-0 in the tournament after recording a 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) win during the round of 16 while picking up a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win during quarterfinals play.
She will now face-off against North Oldham’s Willow Renton in semifinal action on Thursday at 10 a.m.
“What a day to be a Corbin Redhound,” Corbin coach Chris Jones said. “Being part of this tennis program at Corbin is truly something special. After coaching my daughter, Lindsay Jones, in the 1 singles spot for three years, I understand the pressure that comes along with that, but watching Bella play, she seems immune to it. It’s like watching a prize fighter out there slugging it out with the best tennis players across the state and you forget she just recently turned 13 years old. No matter what happens tomorrow, she’s had an incredible and historic run as a seventh grader and we couldn’t be more proud of her.”
The doubles duo of Lindsay Jones and Katherine Morton saw their state championship run in doubles action come to an end in quarterfinal action.
They won in the Round of 16 with a 6-4, 6-1 decision before falling in quarterfinals play, 0-6, 3-6. Jones and Morton finished state tournament play with an impressive 3-1 mark.
“After literally playing doubles together in other tournaments for more than a decade, having Bella on the team this year allowed me to play Lindsay and Katie in doubles together on the high school team and they certainly did not disappoint,” Jones said. “Even with some setbacks with Lindsay’s health during the season, they managed the 5 seed at State and backed it up with a quarterfinal performance, something a Corbin girls tennis team hasn’t done since 2017 when Ellie Jane Carloftis and Caroline Reedy made to the quarters. We went toe to toe with the number 1 seed today from Sacred Heart and lost in a very close second set. We’re already looking forward to an even bigger and better Senior season next year.”
Girls’ Round of 16
Singles
Lopez (C) def. Schaefer (M), 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)
Quarterfinals
Lopez (C) def. Lankford (LCA), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Girls’ Round of 16
Doubles
Jones/Morton (C) def. Love/Selvaraju (R), 6-4, 6-1
Quarterfinals
Jones/Morton (C) lost to Voss/Shallcross (SH), 6-0, 6-3
