Beaufort High's tennis season ends with quarterfinal loss

Dutch Fork sophomore Ali Savage was undeterred by the crowd that surrounded the tennis court during the Silver Foxes' Class 4-A quarterfinal match against Beaufort High on Tuesday.

She had no idea what had transpired on the other four singles courts. All she knew was she had battled back from a set down and an early deficit in the second set to force a third-set tiebreaker.

Savage won four of the final five points and clinched the match for Dutch Fork in the 5-1 victory against the Eagles. Savage, the No. 5 player for the Silver Foxes, defeated Charlotte Bellomy 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.

"I had no idea up until the last point who had won or who had lost," Savage said. "I was just trying to win my match to help the team. I decided to try and keep the ball in play and let her make mistakes, and she did."

The victory moves Dutch Fork (19-0) into the Lower State finals Friday in Sumter against Wando, a 6-0 victor against Lexington. The Warriors eliminated the Silver Foxes in last year's second round and have won five consecutive Class 4-A titles.

Marian Hohenwarter earned the lone victory on the day for Beaufort (18-5), winning when Dutch Fork's Liz Watson had to retire in the second set with an injury.

It marks the third straight season Beaufort High has been eliminated in the third round of the playoffs.

Singles

No. 1 -- Mareli Sanchez (DF) def. Samantha Sullivan 6-0, 6-4; No. 2 -- Marian Hohenwarter (BFT) def. Liz Watson 7-6, 3-0 (ret.); No. 3 -- Savannah Savage (DF) def. Hannah Werner 6-1, 6-0; No. 4 -- Layla Asghari (DF) def. Chelsea Bellomy 6-4, 6-4; No. 5 -- Ali Savage (DF) def. Charlotte Bellomy 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.

Doubles

No. 2 -- Taylor Bland/Jillian Cothran (DF) def. Anna Stoddard/Kelsey Butler 6-1, 6-1.