The Lake Oconee Academy girls tennis team punched its ticket back to the GHSA Class A Division II state championship with a thrilling semifinal victory.
The Titans defeated Miller County 3-2 on the road to advance.
Coach Ron Kalpak described the match as one of the most emotional contests he has ever coached.
“It could not have been more suspenseful,” Kalpak said. “There were ups and downs the entire match.”
LOA advanced thanks to clutch performances throughout the lineup, including a dominant outing from No. 1 singles player Elizabeth Moore. The junior continued her historic season by overwhelming her opponent in the semifinals.
“She was off the court in 30 minutes (before the match ended),” Kalpak said. “It was an unbelievable match.”
Moore has now won 14 consecutive matches without a loss, setting a new school record in the process.
While Moore cruised through her match, the rest of the semifinal battle came down to the wire.
Kalpak said both the No. 2 and No. 3 singles players trailed in the third set at one point, while the Titans’ doubles teams split their matches.
The deciding point ultimately came from sophomore Emi Mokan at No. 2 singles.
“Emmy won in a tiebreaker in the third set to clinch our trip to Rome,” Kalpak said.
Kalpak said the victory embodied the team’s season-long mentality, inspired by Exodus 17:8-12, in which Moses needed help holding up his arms during battle.
“We have a motto that sometimes you’re Moses, and sometimes you’re the other guy,” Kalpak said. “You never really know who’s going to need help and who’s going to blow their opponent out.”
The Titans enter the championship match with confidence and experience, despite having no seniors on the roster.
LOA will face Telfair County in the state title match on May 13 (pass press time) in Rome, setting up a rematch of the 2024 championship that LOA won two years ago.
LOA’s lineup includes Moore at No. 1 singles, Mokan at No. 2 singles, Jamie Beatty at No. 3 singles, Grace Kalmanowicz and Kayden Hudson at No. 1 doubles, and Sara McClendon and Kaylee Churchwell at No. 2 doubles.
“This team has no seniors on it,” Kalpak said. “Some of the players from the state championship team are still here because they were freshmen back then.”
The Titans won the program’s first girls state championship two years ago before falling in the semifinals last season. Now, LOA has another chance to bring home a title.
“We’ve got a really good chance this year to get a state title,” Kalpak said. “But this is what we’re focused on right now — this match.”
Kalpak said the team’s preparation and dedication have stood out leading into the championship showdown.
“We’re practicing every day it doesn’t rain,” Kalpak said. “I just passed the tennis courts and they were out there hitting on their own.”