For decades, Terry Sanford’s tennis has wreaked havoc in the NCHSAA with a string of six state doubles championships, three state singles crowns and four consecutive doubles team titles. The last of those championships had come in 1996 until last season, when Pauline Bui and Loren Galaviz broke through with a state doubles championship to give Terry Sanford seven and tie the Bulldogs with Salisbury for the most number in NCHSAA history.
Saturday at the Burlington Tennis Center, Terry Sanford took sole possession of that state record.
Galaviz and Jenny Wang cruised through the 3A playoff field, not dropping a set on their way to the 2024 NCHSAA doubles state championship where they defeated East Lincoln’s Molly McGuirk and Sidney Dann 6-2, 7-6 ( 2) to win the eighth doubles. title in school history – more than any other program in the state.
And the Dawgs weren’t done.
Bui fought her way through the singles bracket, losing just one match in the first two rounds of straight-set sweeps. She blanked Williams’ Abigail Brown in the second set after winning the first 6-4 in the state semifinals.
Saturday’s state championship singles match against Carrboro junior four-star prospect Ryan Hanes was a rematch of the Mideast regional final won by Bui. She lost the first set of the state title match 3-6, but then rallied to close with 6-4, 6-2 victories to win another NCHSAA title.
Congratulations to your Middle East regional champions in singles and doubles.
No. 1 seed Pauline Bui won the singles championship after playing a phenomenal match against the No. 3 seed.
No. 1 seed Loren Galaviz/Jenny Wang won the doubles championship after playing an exceptional match against… pic.twitter.com/p8FrCXqaAM
– Coach Goodman (@CoachCGoodman) October 19, 2024
Prior to last season’s doubles victory, the Bulldogs’ 16 state championship titles (individual and doubles combined) had been won in a series from 1977-1996. coach Gil Bowman helped elevate the program during his 41-year career.
Only a sophomore, Bui played a huge role in returning titles to the Bulldogs, who finished second in last year’s two-team tournament and are scheduled to host fifth-seeded First Flight on Monday as the top seed. No. 4 seed in the 3A East double-team playoff field.
Galaviz has also been instrumental, and she is only a junior as coaches Susan Brady and Christopher Goodman continue to build on the Bulldogs’ tennis heritage.
The Bulldogs won four straight state dual team championships from 1991-94 as a 4A program. Three of their seven state doubles titles were won by twin teammates Lisa and Margit Monaco (1977-’79, ’80). Lisa Monaco also teamed with Marjorie Yarbrough to win the 1979 doubles championship.
Claire Cheatwood and Elizabeth Williams won the state doubles title for Terry Sanford in 1993, and Jennifer Blue and Mandy Stanfield won the No. 6 doubles title for the Bulldogs in 1996.
Blair Sutton won three consecutive 4A individual singles state championships for Terry Sanford from 1990-93.
This article was originally published on The Fayetteville Observer: Terry Sanford tennis wins 2024 state championships Pauline Bui
