Senior netters Catherine Williams and Erin Murphy took on some of the best players in Illinois during the IHSA 1A State Championship tournament this past week, when the Rochelle Lady Hub doubles duo achieved a feat not seen at their school in almost two decades.
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PALATINE — Senior netters Catherine Williams and Erin Murphy took on some of the best players in Illinois during the IHSA 1A State Championship tournament this past week, when the Rochelle Lady Hub doubles duo achieved a feat not seen at their school in almost two decades.
Making their first-ever state tournament appearance, Williams and Murphy worked to overcome both their nerves and a first-set deficit as they played their first-round match against Southland College Prep’s Morgan Smith and Madeleine Smith. With communication becoming a key point of emphasis throughout the match, Williams and Murphy rallied for a second-set victory and scored crucial points down the stretch to win the opening-round match 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.
“We could’ve played a lot better during that first match, but it felt good to get the win,” Williams said. “We kept our spirits high and we kept talking with each other. I think we were a little scared because we were worried about messing up and not winning. We were being too careful and that didn’t help us at all, but we started putting the ball away later on… I knew the whole time that we could do it and we could bring it back. We were really excited to get that win. ”
It was a historic victory for Williams and Murphy, who became the first female doubles team from Rochelle to win a match at the state tournament since Danica Rogers and Lauren Pierce reached the second round in 2007. Williams and Murphy, who medaled in third place during the IHSA 1A Rochelle Sectional earlier this month, finished 1-2 over three state matches, falling 1-6, 0-6 against Danville’s Anna Houpt and Reese Rundle in the second round of doubles play.
“We didn’t expect to be there at all and winning one match was a really good feeling,” Murphy said. “It was a big shock and it definitely boosted our confidence. We didn’t play our best in that first match, but it was exciting for us and everyone around us when we won. We weren’t placing the ball well, but I thought we worked through that. At first, we felt the pressure of being at state and playing against the best of the best. We were able to pull ourselves up through that.”
Williams and Murphy bowed out of the state tournament Thursday afternoon, conceding an 0-6, 0-6 loss against Joliet Catholic’s Alondra Espino and Megan Ardaugh. The state tournament concluded the 2024 season for the Lady Hubs (4-12, 1-4 Interstate 8), who leaned on their seniors, including Williams and Murphy, to lead the varsity team throughout the fall.
“I’m glad that Kitty and I became closer friends and we’ve learned how to play a sport that we can play for the rest of our lives,” Murphy said. “I think that if the girls try their best, then there are chances to make big steps. I was on the JV team last year, but I made it to state this year. There are a lot of steps that the returning girls can make if they put the work in.”
Williams and Murphy earned their way into the state tournament by winning three matches at their home sectional, where the sixth-seeded doubles duo upset the third-seeded Dixon team of Brooklyn Arjes and Rachel Lance to qualify for the state meet. Williams and Murphy became Rochelle’s first state-qualifying girls in doubles since Jordin Dickey and MeLisa Young in 2021.
“Erin and I definitely became more connected and we’ve gotten to know each other a lot more outside of tennis,” Williams said. “Tennis is a good skill to know and it’s a sport that’s hard to learn, but easy to pick up. If the girls stay with it and try to learn the sport, then I think they can become really good at it. Coach [Paisley] and coach [Cartwright] are both amazing coaches.”