Gunnedah has backed up its 2013 championship winning performance at the CHS State Tennis Finals with a third at this year’s event.

The six-strong local contingent beat Ulladulla High in a gripping final round match to claim bronze on Wednesday at their home courts in Gunnedah.

Teams were tied on drawn sets after play had finished, forcing a countback on games which Gunnedah emerged on top, just – 35 games to 34.

Team manager Simone Brady said the girls should be proud of their efforts despite missing top-seed Gabby O’Gorman, who is playing tournament tennis in Europe.

“To compete like they did, at that level again, is a great effort,” Brady said.

“They all played brilliantly, I can’t say anyone was better than the rest because everybody stepped up.”

The side lost to Hunter Sports High in the last round  during Tuesday’s play which sent them to the third place play-off against Ulladulla. 

Cecial Hills High School from Liverpool, one of four Sydney-based squads, finished on top on the standings after defeating Hunter in the final.

Earlier in the final series, Gunnedah narrowly beat North Coast regional champions, Grafton, 5-3 in round two of the tournament.

“The girls played really hard to pull that round together,” Brady said.

The manager felt it was a good lead-in for the home team facing the might of a side like Grafton and credit to the girls’ tenacity to finish with a win.

Kyra Carlyon, stepped up to the side’s number one player role this tournament while the team also welcomed in Lindsay Dillon, who only just returned last weekend from visiting a coaching clinic in California.

 As defending title holders, the girls earned the right to host the 2014 finals in Gunnedah and were duly crowned as this year’s North West champions after a sensational run in the regional finals.

The Gunnedah team, which is coached by Craig Louis and Trish O’Gorman, is looking forward to next year’s CHS championships.