Tennis: Permian's Lucero and Dawson get beat in Class 5A opener, but relish experience

AUSTIN Tai Lucero and Charlotte Dawson had their excellent journey to the UIL Class 5A State Tennis Championships ended much earlier than they would've liked.

But suffering a loss in the first round of the girls doubles draw didn't completely ruin the experience as Lucero and Dawson gave Permian its first representation at the state tournament since 2002.

New Braunfels High's sister duo of Alex Adams and Sam Adams knocked off Lucero and Dawson 6-4, 6-2 in a match that took 90 minutes at the University of Texas' Penick-Allison Tennis Center.

"I'm disappointed, of course," said Lucero, who is a junior. "But, hey, we made it to state and that's an accomplishment both of us had never achieved and it just felt great walking onto the court. It was like a breath of fresh air. We had never been here and we were just excited."

Don't get Lucero wrong.

She and Dawson weren't happy with just being one of the final eight teams in the tournament and the margin of victory might not show in the score.

But the difference in the first set was a single break while in the second set the Permian team failed to win any of its three break points in the fourth game or another break point chance during the sixth game, which went to five deuces.

"If you don't capitalize on things you need to do, you're going to get in trouble," said Dawson, who is a sophomore. "But in the end you still have to be proud of how you played because you came out and tried your hardest."

The New Braunfels team went on to win in the semifinals, as well, beating Katy Cinco Ranch's Paige Rachel and Stephanie Li 7-6 (1), 7-5, to earn a spot in today's championship match.

In the finals, the Adams sisters will play Klein's Micah Hermsdorf and Ariel Morton, who beat Lubbock Coronado's Mary Alice Blacketer and Leigh Holder - the Region I-5A and District 2-5A champs - by a 6-2, 6-2 score.

Adams and Adams were a hard-hitting team who often made Lucero and Dawson pay for loose shots or anything short in the court.

More often than not, though, Permian's team forced its opponents to work hard for each and every point.

"It gets you out of your rhythm for sure," Alex Adams - who has signed to play for Incarnate Word - said of facing lobs and off-pace shots from Lucero and Dawson. "It definitely makes you more nervous (to play at state), but it's fun. I always play well here because you get a lot of adrenaline."

Experience certainly was in the court of the New Braunfels team, which finished second in the Class 4A girls doubles final last season and helped the Unicorns in the fall to win the Class 5A state team tennis championship.

After Monday's 90-minute quarterfinal match, along with simply being around the state tournament conditions, experience now should be with Permian's Lucero and Dawson, who will help lead a strong girls team next season.

"I have to give it to both of them," Permian head coach Mary Kay Mann said. "I thought they played really tough for their first experience at state. It's something they hadn't accomplished before, but we definitely want to come back."

It won't be as easy as hoping for it, but getting a taste is half the battle.

As for the players involved, there's no doubt.

"We're going to be back," Lucero said.

Dawson added: "We're coming back next year, so we'll know what to expect."

That remains to be seen. There is some certainty, however, that experience does pay off when the points count the most.

If there is a next time, such experience will be on Permian's side of the net.