By Ellen Markowitz
The Western Albemarle High School girls tennis team went all the way to AA state finals this year, the first time in school history that girls have advanced that far. The team won the Jefferson District for the third consecutive year, Region II for the second consecutive year, and finished the year with a record of 22-2.
The team upended defending champs E.C. Glass of Lynchburg in the state semis on June 6 to advance to Saturday’s final. The girls fought hard until the very end, but lost 5-3 to a tough Jamestown team.
WAHS junior and number one player Emily Kochard won the Jefferson District and Region II individual singles titles (for the first times), and went to the final four in state individual singles play, in addition to the team play.
She won her semi-final round and lost in the finals. So she was a double state finalist, in individual and team, two outstanding accomplishments. She finished the season with a singles record of 21-2.
