As a result of Wednesday's victory at Dellinger Park, the Lady Purple Hurricanes, the No. 2 seed in Region 7-AAA, now advance to play LaGrange, the No. 1 seed in Region 5-AAA who won the right to host the match, which must be played by Wednesday, April 27.
The girls join the Cartersville boys in the Sweet Sixteen round.
The Canes, who defeated Riverwood, 3-2, Tuesday, won the right to host LaGrange, which defeated West Hall, 3-2. The Cartersville boys are the No. 1 seed in their region while the LaGrange boys are the No. 2 seed.
"The girls came out well prepared to play," head coach Julius Robberts said. "They did a lot of footwork early and took care of business."
The Lady Canes got their three wins courtesy of doubles players Megan Patton and Logan Bolen, 6-0, 6-0; and Adrienne Green, 6-2, 6-1; and Maggie Dowling, 6-1, 6-1; both singles players.
The other two matches were suspended after Dowling notched the team's third win to give the Lady Canes the victory. Cartersville was leading in one of the two remaining matches and had lost the first game in the other but was leading in the second when the matches were called.
Dowling, one of the Lady Canes seniors, said making the Sweet Sixteen was one of the goals set by the team. She said it was particularly sweet to make the playoff round in her senior year but said the team has a higher goal.
"I really want to go further," the four-year player for the Canes said. "I've gone to the Elite Eight once, and I'd like to go to the Final Four. I think we have a good chance."
Patton, another senior and four-year member of the Lady Canes, said she, too, hopes to help the team extend its season further. "[Winning today] was one of the major goals I had for my senior year."
She said one of the keys to the Canes' doubles play has been to find players to practice with on weekends.
"Logan (Bolen) and I get together as much as we can," she said. "We've found some of the boys and played against them, too. It's given us extra time as a doubles team and the boys are more competitive, too."
She said the competition will get steeper the next round. "It'll definitely be a challenge, but I think we can meet it."
Patton added one of the secrets to the teams' success has been its camaraderie. "We cheer each other on and are supportive of one another."
Coach Robberts said both Cartersville teams have high hopes for the next round.
"The girls did what they had to do to win today," he said Wednesday. "Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the next round, against LaGrange."
He said the dates have not been set but said the boys could play as early as Friday and the girls possibly Monday.
"I'll be calling LaGrange quickly to set up the matches," he added.