By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

The Callaway High girls’ tennis team has made more history.

A year ago, the Lady Cavaliers won the first region tennis title in the history of the school, and they made it back-to-back region championships this season.

Now, Callaway has the first state-tournament victory under its belt.

Facing Putnam County Monday in the opening round of the Class AA state tournament, the Lady Cavaliers won 4-1 to advance to the second round.

Callaway will be back home next week for that second-round test.

“The girls were nervous. They knew what was at stake,” Callaway coach Kareem Doune said. “But they came together and pulled it out.”

The Lady Cavaliers won four of the five matches, with Rabun’s lone win coming at No. 2 singles.

As has been the case all season, the Lady Cavs had no trouble at No. 1 singles, with Hannah Mueller cruising to a 6-0, 6-0 victory.

The powerful player from Germany, with her rocket serves, not only hasn’t lost a match this season, but she hasn’t dropped a set.

“She’s been that dominant,” Douhne said. “We’ve played some bigger schools, and it hasn’t mattered.”

Callaway’s No. 2 singles player, Jill Cook, fought hard in her match, but she lost in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4.

At No. 3 singles, Divlin Kaur won the first set 6-2, dropped the second set 6-3, but bounced back to win the third and deciding set 6-4.

At No. 1 doubles, Rachel Williams and Leslie Smith won the first set 7-6 in a tiebreak, and the finished off the match with a 6-4 win in the second set.

At No. 2 doubles, Kaitlin Gilbert and Kasey Barintine won the first set 6-0, but they lost the second set 6-3 before finishing the match off with a 6-4 win in the third set.

“In the end, they kicked it in gear and put them away,” Douhne said of Gilbert and Barintine.