For Ce Ce Witten, the Girls 12th Region Tennis Tournament was all love and bagels.  The sophomore from Boyle County served up four straight 6-0, 6-0 wins as she marched unscathed to her fifth straight 12th Region Singles Title.

For two days, Witten creamed serves and blasted forehand and backhand winners with the deadly precision of a trained marksman.  She served up her last two bagels to friendly rival and No. 2 seed Haley Hart of Lincoln County whom she completely dismantled 6-0, 6-0 in the finals.  

In Witten’s 21 regional matches during her 5-year reign, she hasn’t dropped a set and has won 252 out of 255 games.  Rafael Nadal might be the King of the clay courts, but Ce Ce Witten clearly rules the newly paved courts of Berea College. She now advances to the state tournament in hopes of improving on her semi-final appearance of 2008.

While Witten was easily pocketing the singles title, Mercer County claimed the team victory finishing with a total of 12 points. Danville placed second with 8 points.  Mercer was led by their No. 1 seeded doubles team of Lee Baxter and Lauren Yates who took the doubles title with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Danville’s Polinderio and Nelson.  

The Lady Lakers finished seventh place in the fifteen team field as they garnered 4 points winning three out of four of their first round matches and one second round.  

No. 7 seed Ines Stricker of Russell County advanced to the quarterfinals with two impressive wins— a 6-0, 6-1 thrashing of Nicole Davis of Wayne County and a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Pulaski’s Johni Way.  Unfortunately for Stricker, her next match was with Witten.  Stricker, an exchange student from Germany, fought gamely against the No.1 seed but simply couldn’t keep pace with the five-time champion.  Stricker’s post game comment, “At least I lost to the number one player.”

Lady Lakers Kim Johnson and Lindsay Sayers scored a first round win in doubles play as they outlasted Coontz and Henderson from Lincoln County.   With the score knotted 3-3 in the first set, Johnson and Sayers took over the match with strong net play as they delivered several cross court winners on their way to a 6-4, 6-4 win.   Johnson and Sayers dropped their second round match to No. 4 seed Pitman and Burkett of Pulaski County 6-0, 6-2.

Kayla Marcum scored a point for the team as she got a walk-over win over her Monticello opponent in round one.  She dropped a 6-0, 6-2 decision in round two to No. 8 seed Celeste Hurst of Boyle County.

Katie Flanagan and Katie Dalton drew a tough first round match-up with Tan and Lissanu of Somerset.  The Laker duo played well before dropping a 6-2, 6-1 decision to the Lady Briar Jumpers.  Tan and Lissanu went on to upset the No. 5 seeded Casey County team in round two.

Coaches Eric Bennett and Lou Ann Flanagan were proud of the Lady Lakers showing and of the fine sportsmanship the girls displayed in all of their matches.

Girls 12th Region Tennis Tournament

Friday, May 16th at EKU Indoor Courts

Singles—Round 1

No. 7 Ines Stricker, Russell Co. def. Nicole Davis, Wayne Co.  6-0, 6-1

Kayla Marcum, Russell Co. def. Harley Frost, Monticello by walk-over

Saturday, May 17th at Berea College and Madison Southern High

Doubles—Round 1

Tan/Lissanu, Somerset def. Katie Flanagan/Katie Dalton, Russell Co.  6-2, 6-1

Kim Johnson/Lindsay Sayers, Russell Co. def. Coontz/Henderson, Lincoln Co. 6-4, 6-4

Singles—Round 2

No. 7 Ines Stricker, Russell Co. def. Johni Way, Pulaski Co. 6-1, 6-1

No. 8 Celeste Hurst, Boyle Co. def. Kayla Marcum, Russell Co. 6-0, 6-2

Doubles—Round 2

No. 4 Pitman/Burkett, Pulaski Co. def. Kim Johnson/Lindsay Sayers, Russell Co. 6-0, 6-2

Singles—Quarterfinals

No. 1 Ce Ce Witten, Boyle Co. def. No. 7 Ines Stricker, Russell Co. 6-0, 6-0