Delta girls tennis wins semi-state to clinch 7th IHSAA state finals berth

Three years ago, Delta girls tennis went to the IHSAA state finals when the program's current seniors were freshmen.

Three years later, those seniors punched tickets to state again and will finish their careers where they started. The Eagles traveled to Fort Wayne for the Homestead semi-state to take on the host Spartans in a top-20 matchup — No. 15 Delta vs. No. 18 Homestead — according to the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association poll.

Delta won the match, 4-1, Saturday, May 30, to clinch the seventh state finals appearance in school history and first since 2023.

"We've got a lot of experience, but I think our best characteristic is just our ability to be locked in at practice day after day," Delta coach Tim Cleland said. "We have a pretty good understanding of what we do well, and we try to stick with that. It sounds simple, but not everybody understands what they do well and what they struggle with."

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While Delta plays plenty of experience with five seniors out of seven varsity players, their opponent was quite the opposite with zero seniors.

No. 1 singles was the only match where the Spartans had an advantage in experience with junior Caroline Meier facing Delta freshman Sophie Crabtree. While she did manage to win a few games this time, Crabtree was the Eagles' only lost match as Meier won, 6-2, 6-4, and advanced to the individual singles state finals.

Just as they have been all postseason, Delta's doubles teams were dominant to give the Eagles the advantage in the match. Junior Alexa Bratton and senior Kate Manor won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles over Homestead junior Nadia Cowan and sophomore Emma Cook, while seniors Elizabeth Bamidele and Rowan Hinds won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 doubles.