The Little Illini Conference girls tennis championships are a little more than one week away. Soon after, the IHSA state tournament series begins with Sectional play. So, it is getting to be that time of year again!

Robinson will play host to the six-team LIC tournament on Friday, Oct. 10. And, while it is anyone’s guess who will walk away with the team title, Newton figures to be in the hunt. The Eagles have the highest-rated players at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, as well as No. 1 doubles, according to TennisReporting.com.

At No. 1 singles, Newton senior Jailyn Hall has a 10-2 record and has defeated the No. 1 from every other Little Illini team during the season. However, one of those losses also came against an LIC opponent, Julia Eckerty of Casey-Westfield. Eckerty won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, when the two met on Sept. 12. Some 13 days later, Hall evened the score with a 10-2 triumph in a single-set match.

Piper Berger of Olney also dragged Hall into a third set on Sept. 4. After dropping the first set, 6-2, Hall regrouped and won the match with 6-3 and 10-8 set wins.

At No. 2, Newton sophomore Olivia Sornberger has also put together an impressive campaign. She is 14-1 on the season, with her loss coming as a No. 1 on Sept. 27 against Julianne Lindsco of Highland. Sornberger has also defeated every No. 2 in the LIC.

Hall and Sornberger have also teamed up to lead the way at No. 1 doubles for Newton. They are 11-1 together, and haven’t lost a match since Aug. 26.

IHSA Series

The Illinois High School Association has released the schedule for the upcoming state tournament series. Sectional play will be on the weekend of Oct. 17-18. The state finals will be the following week, from Oct. 23-25 in Chicagoland (hosted by Arlington Hts. Hersey).

Here’s where LIC teams have been assigned for Sectional play. All LIC teams play in Class 1A in this two-class sport. Note: the seeding meeting will be two days prior.

Class 1A

Casey-Westfield, Newton, Olney, Robinson
@ Effingham Sectional

Mt. Carmel
@ Centralia Sectional

Paris
@ Danville Sectional