A marathon match lasting more than five hours determined the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A dual-team girls tennis state champion on Saturday at the Burlington Tennis Center.

When it was finally settled, Lake Norman Charter defeated Terry Sanford 5-4 to claim the school’s fourth dual-team girls tennis title, and avenge last season’s runner-up finish.

The match was everything you would expect from two unbeaten teams. Lake Norman Charter entered the day 23-0, Terry Sanford was 18-0.

Perhaps nothing illustrated the battle better than the No. 6 singles and the No. 3 doubles.

In the No. 6 singles, Lake Norman’s Kate Champion defeated Lauren Ruppe, but needed a second set tiebreaker to force a third set tiebreaker. Champion won 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), (10-3).That win tied the match at 3-3 going into doubles competition.

It was the No. 3 doubles that determined the match. Aileen Huynh and Champion teamed up to beat the Terry Sanford duo of Sophie Blankenship and Hannah Johnson 10-10 (7-3). Another tiebreaker delivered the state championship to Lake Norman Charter.

Lake Norman Charter also got a win in the No. 1 singles from Luci Falls, beating Annie Lieberman 6-3, 6-4, and in the No. 4 singles where Moriah Harris beat Blankenship 6-3, 6-4.

Falls and Harris teamed up for a 10-7 win over Lieberman and Ruppe in the No. 2 doubles.

Saturday marked the first appearance by Terry Sanford in the dual-team girls tennis state championship since the Bulldogs won four straight in 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994. The Bulldogs finish the season with an 18-1 record.

2023 NCHSAA 3A Dual-Team Girls Tennis State Championship Results

Singles:

#1 – Luci Falls (Lake Norman Charter) def. Annie Lieberman (Terry Sanford), 6-3, 6-4

#2 – Pauline Bui (Terry Sanford) def. Eleina Moon (Lake Norman Charter), 6-1, 6-1

#3 – Loren Galaviz (Terry Sanford) def. Anslee Falls (Terry Sanford), 6-4, 6-3

#4 – Moriah Harris (Lake Norman Charter) def. Sophie Blankenship (Terry Sanford), 6-3, 6-4

#5 – Lauren Zuravel (Terry Sanford) def. Aileen Huynh (Lake Norman Charter), 6-4, 6-2

#6 – Kate Champion (Lake Norman Charter) def. Lauren Ruppe (Terry Sanford), 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), (10-3)

Doubles:

#1 – Pauline Bui/Loren Galaviz (Terry Sanford) def. Eleina Moon/Anslee Falls (Lake Norman Charter), 10-6

#2 – Luci Falls/Moriah Harris (Lake Norman Charter) def. Annie Lieberman/Lauren Ruppe (Terry Sanford), 10-7

#3 – Aileen Huynh/Kate Champion (Lake Norman Charter) def. Sophie Blankenship/Hannah Johnson (Terry Sanford), 10-10 (7-3)