Triton Central tennis coach Austin Hall knew his team needed a doubles victory to defeat Shelbyville for a third time this season.

Midway through the first set in Saturday’s sectional championship match, TC’s No. 1 doubles team was rolling while the No. 2 doubles team was trailing.

Meanwhile, the Tigers quickly built an advantage in two of the three singles matches.

The momentum then flipped in both doubles matches and it took Olivia Martin and Sara Williams securing a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the sectional title for Triton Central – the program’s ninth sectional championship and fifth in the last six years.

“Our No. 2 doubles (team) has been working really hard the past couple of weeks to mesh a little bit better together and keep raising our level,” said Hall. “They won a set off Southwestern (Friday) that they were unable to do when they played them earlier in the season, so that was big.

“I told the girls we really needed them and it definitely turned out that we needed that No. 2 doubles team to perform. That was great to see.”

Julia Sanders and Lelia Chougule did not drop a game in sweeping Jaidyn Tackett and Ella Connolly at No. 1 singles and No. 3 singles, respectively.

Chougule improved to 15-1 in No. 3 singles matches this season.

“She has been very dominant. She has really matured,” said Hall. “Last year it was a completely different Lelia. I think she told herself this is my senior year and I can go out and perform and get the results she really wanted last year.

“She has become a real leader and someone we can guarantee at that spot.”

Sanders, who will play volleyball collegiately at Indiana University Kokomo, improved to 13-3 at No. 1 singles.

“It is nice to have a college athlete at the top of our lineup,” said Hall. “(Julia) has become so much better this year in her matches. Last year, it was just put balls back into play and let other players make errors. This year she has really developed as a tennis player.”

At No. 2 singles, Shelbyville’s Emma Sandman got off to a strong start against Emma Hutchinson and posted a 6-1, 6-2 victory to cut TC’s lead to 2-1 with both doubles matches still going.

Shelbyville’s Karlie Lawson and Renee Aldridge fell behind Triton Central’s Kelsey McGuire and Alyssa Wheatley 5-1 in the first set at No. 1 doubles but rallied to secure a 7-5, 6-4 victory.

“They got in a rhythm and it just continued,” said Shelbyville head coach Ashley Comstock. “It is probably the best they have played all year.”

Shelbyville (11-12) loses just one senior, Jaidyn Tackett, from its sectional championship lineup.

“Overall, it was a good season. Everyone got better,” said Comstock. “We only lose one girl at No. 1 singles so we have plenty of girls returning.”

With the sectional championship, Triton Central (17-3) will travel to Center Grove Tuesday for a regional semifinal match against Perry Meridian, a 3-2 winner over Southport in the championship match of the Southport Sectional.

In the other regional semifinal Tuesday, No. 11 Franklin will take on Roncalli. The championship match is slated for Wednesday.

With their win Friday at No. 1 doubles, Waldron seniors Mackenzie Shaw and Megan Bogemann advanced to the state doubles tournament. The sectional round of matches begin this week at Center Grove.

Semifinal Round

Triton Central reached the championship match Saturday morning with a 4-1 victory Friday over Southwestern (3-13).

The Spartans’ lone win came at No. 2 doubles where McKinley Correll and Faith Kelley defeated Martin and Williams, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Correll and Kelley finished the season with a 15-3 record.

Shelbyville similarly defeated Waldron 4-1 Friday.

Shaw and Bogemann, 16-0 this season, defeated Lawson and Aldridge, 6-2, 7-5 to keep their undefeated season going.

Tackett needed three sets to eliminate Nichole Garner at No. 1 singles, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Baker and Lee also needed three sets at No. 2 doubles to dispatch Audrey Hogg and Emily Tyree.

Waldron finished the season at 7-9.