By Ron Geiser

The Bluffton High School girls tennis team went indoors Thursday to knock off Lima Central Catholic to "win" the mythical Northwest Conference championship for the third straight year, 3-2.

BHS and LCC are the only two NWC schools to field tennis teams, so there is no official league title, but this rivalry has been hard-fought in recent years.

Taking their season record to 11-2 for the fall, coach Jesse Sensenig's netters became the third Pirate girls team to win that many matches in a season.

No. 1 player Ashlin Gable won in straight sets to take her 70th combined (singles and doubles) victory, while Emily Sprague also won in two sets at No. 2. Kristi Geiser dropped a two setter at No. 3 singles.

Margin of victory came with the No. 2 doubles team of Rachel Sehlhorst and Bronwyn Greer, who took 6-1, 6-2 sets for their fifth win of the year. No. 1 team Shannon Koch and Shaye Liddick lost straight sets.

The girls travel to Archbold Saturday for an early morning match.