Team Elmo giggled their way through a first-round win at the KHSAA State Tennis Tournament Tuesday in Lexington before falling in a tough second-round match.
Hopkinsville High’s Ella Brown and Morgan Woosley – nicknamed Elmo and complete with the name on T-shirts of the Tiger fans at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex in Lexington – opened with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Hazard’s Jordan Lasslo and Addison Cox, who were semifinalists in Region 14.
In the second round, they faced off against Central Hardin’s Makenna Cox and Zoey Graziano, who was seeded in the top 16.
In the opening set, the teams broke serve on the first three points with Central Hardin eventually winning 6-3.
In the second set, the teams broke serve on the first five points. Cox proved to be a formidable adversary at the net and made it tough for Brown and Lester to get shots over the top.
Down 5-3, Brown and Woosley battled back to tie the set at 5-5 before falling 7-5 in a match that lasted one hour and 18 minutes in mid-80 degree heat.
For Brown, she was making her third state tournament appearance and picked up her second win. Two years ago, she teamed with Grasen Givens to win a state first-round match.
Teamed with Woosley this year, the duo advanced to the region semifinals and carried a 10-4 record into the state tournament.
