Chattanooga Christian’s Holly Scholl expected a tough tennis match with Arts & Sciences’ Albany Kelly. Playing against each other growing up, it’s always been that way.

And Scholl’s close, three-set win over Kelly helped the Lady Chargers beat the Lady Patriots 4-1 to win the Region 3-A/AA team championship Thursday at Manker Patten’s indoor courts.

Three-time defending TSSAA Class A/AA state champion CCS (13-2) advances to the state sectional round next week. CSAS, the District 5-A/AA champ, ends its season at 9-4.

“The girls played great today and gave 100 percent,” Lady Chargers coach Sue Webb said. “The girls knew to do their job, and there were some great matches today.”

At No. 2 singles, Scholl won her first set against Kelly, 6-2, but lost the second set, 6-4. For the third set, Scholl refocused herself for a 6-1 win and clinched the team win.

“I just stuck to it and focused hard,” said Scholl, a senior. “Both of us were running around our backhands there for awhile, but I think it came down to who made more errors. Albany played really well. We always have close matches, growing up together.”

“It’s going to be tough in sectionals, because we’ve lost some players from last year, but we’re hoping for the best.”

CCS’s Claire Henley beat Ahmee Kelly, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 singles, and the Lady Chargers’ Gretchen Rowe defeated Erin Mourier, 7-5, 6-1. At the No. 5 position, Stephanie Sizemore of CCS beat Rachel Phillips, 6-2, 6-3.

The Lady Patriots’ Kayla Kelly won at No. 1 singles, defeating Ashlyn Bolton 6-2, 6-2.

“We had another successful season,” CSAS coach Jerry Pate said. “We played pretty well today, but we just didn’t get the big points as well as we could have. Some of our matches could’ve gone either way. Now we’re going to gear up for Monday (the region individual tournament at CCS) and try to gear up for next season.”