<p>In each of the previous three seasons, the state quarterfinals marked the end of the road for Center Grove’s girls tennis team.</p><p>On Friday, the Trojans finally broke through.</p><p>Playing on its home courts, No. 11 Center Grove started hot and kept rolling throughout the afternoon, claiming a quick, one-sided 5-0 triumph over Washington to advance to the semifinal round for the first time since 2010.</p><p>"We needed to play very patient, very smart tennis," Trojans coach Debby Burton said, "really moving our feet, not letting the moment get ahead of us, not overhitting the ball, those types of things. I’m just really proud of the girls."</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery<p>The win was particularly satisfying for the Trojan seniors, who had previously known nothing but heartbreak on this stage.</p><p>"It was definitely nice," senior Ellie Strube said, "because every year since freshman year we’ve lost this round. We got a really good draw this year, so it was very nice to make it this far."</p><p>All five matches on Friday ended within about 15 minutes of one another.</p><p>Strube was the first one off the court, needing less than an hour to finish off the Hatchets’ Ali Barber 6-0, 6-0 at first singles. Sophomore Ashlee Fisk followed moments later, capping off a 6-1, 6-1 win against Alaina Thorne.</p><p>The Trojans (15-6) sealed their shortly thereafter when junior Abby Hoard and sophomore Sydney Plowman claimed a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Sophia Davis and Quincee Healy at second doubles.</p><p>Juniors Holyn Aukerman and Jenna Boha were a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Kenli Barber and Isabella Thorne at No. 1 doubles, and senior Jillian Garrett ended the day by defeating Kencia Levasseur 6-0, 6-1 at third singles.</p><p>"I played pretty well, and I think everyone else played really well too," Strube said. "They were confident in their abilities today, and we’re starting to come together as a team and work really hard, so I think everything just kind of worked in our favor today."</p><p>Next up for the Trojans will be a 10 a.m. semifinal against No. 2 Park Tudor, who edged fourth-ranked Munster in the other quarterfinal match at Center Grove, 3-2.</p><p>The Panthers (22-1) were a 5-0 winner over the Trojans earlier this season, but despite that previous result, Center Grove is heading into this morning’s match upbeat, knowing it has a chance of reaching the state championship match for the first time in school history.</p><p>"We were just kind of getting to the point of learning our lineup," Burton said of the first matchup with Park Tudor on April 23. "I think we’re a better team now, and we’ll just go out there and play your best and see what happens."</p>
