Johnsonville, SC – The Atlantic Collegiate Academy girls' tennis team made its playoff debut on Thursday afternoon against Johnsonville High.
 
Playing without two of their regular contributors, the Armada dropped a close match, 4-3, to end the season with a 3-4 record.
 
"We were missing two players from our lineup, including a regular singles player, and still came really close to advancing," Armada coach Michael Roberts said. "Making the state tournament was a good development, but we never want to settle on just qualifying. The effort was there, we just got caught in the same snag that has weighed us down all season, which is a number that is too thin to have players miss matches."
 
The Armada's two standout players, senior Kristina Miroff and junior Katie Godfree, turned in their normal perfect performances. As has been the case all year, neither lost even one game in singles play or together in doubles, accounting for all three of the ACA points.
 
Godfree, playing at No. 1, defeated Lilly Margaret Driggers 6-0, 6-0 while Miroff, playing at No. 2, dropped Julianna Owens by the same score, 6-0, 6-0. Together, Godfree and Miroff defeated Driggers and Owens in doubles 6-0, 6-0.
 
"Katie Godfree has recovered from a sore ankle and playing like the No. 1 or No. 2 seed going into the individual state tournament," Roberts said. "Kristina capped off a magical run also, not losing a game of singles or doubles with Katie. When we look back, and have time to process this, we will marvel at the landmark season these two young ladies had."
 
Godfree is the defending champion from the Class AAAAA/AAAA Tournament last fall.
 
The Armada was unable to get the one other point it needed to advance. Johnsonville took the second doubles point in a walkover and earned singles points at No. 3 when Ada Howell defeated junior Rafaela Rey 6-1, 7-5, Sophie Cook topped ACA freshman Nevaeh Moote 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4 and Lucy Truesdale downed freshman Ashmerriet Tarbush 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5.
 
Johnsonville will go on to face Hannah-Pamplico on Tuesday in the second round of the team tournament. The SCHSL will host the Singles championship tournament on November 18 & 19 at the Cayce Tennis Center.

About Atlantic Collegiate Academy: Atlantic Collegiate Academy (ACA), located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while also earning up to two years of college credit. ACA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades. Learn more about ACA by visiting our website at AtlanticCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.