Trenton High School senior Lexi Gott played perhaps the best tennis of her Lady Bulldog career on Friday, winning a total of 36 games, and losing only 2, hammering her way to an individual singles championship in district competition in Chillicothe.
Gott opened play with a 6-love, 6-love blitz over Brynn Williams of Kirksville, advancing to a semifinal test against Megan Sisson of Chillicothe. Gott cruised in that match, winning 6-1, 6-love, reaching the final against Delaney May of the host Lady Hornets. Through the regular season, Gott’s matches with May were competitive and close, however, in the postseason, it was a different story, as Gott dominated the match, winning by a score of 6-love, 6-1, bringing the district championship plaque back northward to THS.
Trenton’s other singles entry, Lydia Leininger, ran into a tough first-round opponent, falling to the eventual runner-up placing May of Chillicothe, 6-love, 6-love.
In doubles, Trenton advanced both entries into the district semifinal round, with Mallory Sole and Alaina Overton taking a 6-3, 7-5 quarterfinal win over Washburn and Anderson of Chillicothe, while Morgan Dolan and Emilee Lovell rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Eitel and Stremel of Kirksville.
In the semifinals, the run of the Bulldog teams ended, with Riemenschneider and Elmore of Kirksville beating Sole and Overton 6-2, 6-4, 6-1, while Carpenter and Laurenco of Chillicothe took down Dolan and Lovell 7-6 (7-4 tiebreak), 6-2, 6-1.
In the third place match, an all-Bulldog affair, Sole and Overton emerged with a 6-4, 6-2 win, capturing the 3rd place medals, leaving 4th for Dolan and Lovell.
In the final, Carpenter and Laurenco lost to Riemenschneider and Elmore 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 5-7. Top two finishers in both singles and doubles competition advance to sectional round play.
Photo credit – Tammy Ockenfels / Chillicothe, MO
