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Carmel’s Mikaela Carlson outlasted Evansville Memorial’s Jasmine Lee at No. 2 singles in the deciding match of the day as the Greyhounds claimed a 3-2 decision and the girls tennis state championship at North Central High School.

Carlson, a sophomore, rallied from a set down to beat the freshman Lee, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. The match lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes with temperatures climbing to the mid-90s and gave Carmel an undefeated season (21-0) and its second state championship in three years in the sport. The Greyhound boys team also won the team title in the fall.

The title was also the school’s 100th IHSAA state championship, a state best, since winning its first in boys golf during the 1969-70 school year. Carmel coach Sharon Rosenburgh (1989, 1990, 2003, 2009, 2011) also celebrated as the winning coach for the fifth time moving her into a tie for second place for most girls tennis state championship by a coach in state history.

With the score tied at 1 match a piece, Memorial’s Rachael Swartwood took a three-set decision from Olivia Trancik at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, to put the Tigers ahead. Carmel knotted it up at 2-2 just a few minutes later as Alyson Bundy and Hannah Elliot outlasted Liz Wilm and Brenna Wu at No. 1 doubles, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, setting up the showdown at No. 2 singles.

Both teams captured a victory just a minute a part in the early going. Alaina Finkelmeier and Michelle Li of Carmel bested Alexa Cox and Bailey Klipsch, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2 doubles and were quickly followed by Memorial’s Macie Elliott’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Bailey Padgett at No. 1 singles.

Carmel shutout Fairfield, 5-0, on Friday and topped Floyd Central, 4-1, in Saturday’s semifinal round.

Memorial (21-2), coached by Ray Trapp, had defeated Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, 4-1, in Friday’s quarterfinals and then knocked off defending state champion South Bend St. Joseph’s, 3-2, in the other Saturday semifinal. It was the Tigers’ fifth runner-up finish, first since 2005, and second time to Carmel (1990). The school has five championships to its credit and was looking for its first since 1996.

Carmel’s Olivia Trancik Named Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the event, Olivia Trancik of Carmel High School was announced as the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award awarded by the IHSAA Executive Committee.

Trancik, who played No. 3 singles, helped Carmel to three consecutive state finals appearances, two state championships in 2009 and 2011 and was also a runner-up in the state tournament for doubles players two years ago. She was a four-year letterwinner.

The senior has achieved a 3.99 grade point average earning an Academic Honors Diploma among numerous other awards for her studies. She is a member of the National Honor Society and treasurer of her school’s French Club and will attend Purdue University on a Presidential Scholarship.

She is the daughter of Thomas and JoAnn Trancik of Carmel.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Carmel High School in the name of Trancik.