NEW ALBANY — New Albany dropped eight games across five matches in a 5-0 victory over Christian Academy of Indiana in the semifinals of the New Albany Sectional on Wednesday.

For the Bulldogs, the win comes on the heels of a consolation-game win over Bedford North Lawrence on Friday in the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament in a performance that New Albany coach Bob Dusch called his team’s best of the year. 

“I felt like we built on (that win) today,” Dusch said. “We went out and took care of business. I’m not taking a thing away from (the Warriors), but we played good, solid singles.”

The Bulldogs were strong up and down the lineup, especially at the singles positions. No match was ever in question. 

At No. 1 singles, Maddy Bellew turned back Rachel Jones, 6-1, 6-1. 

“Since the Paoli match ... she has turned her mental game around as much as anything,” Dusch said of Bellew. “She’s a lot more mentally tough and willing to stay on the court and win longer points, rather than just wham-bam, I’m going forward, go broke. In a lot of years, this would be one of the strongest teams in the area.” 

Erin Kanii downed Courtney Heishman, 6-1, 6-0, and Marin Kanii defeated Kacie Arrell, 6-1, 6-0. 

“I feel  a lot of times this year with Erin and Marin we’ve forgotten about them, because day after day they’re just workman-like,” Dusch said. “It gives us a lot more opportunities to focus on our doubles and our tough matches at No. 1 singles. Erin and Marin both have played so solid all year.”

Kaitlin Mooney and Emily Hoffer combined to defeat Courtney Brown and Emily Mitchell, 6-1, 6-0, while Lauren Hoffer and Chandni Bhimani stopped Renata Kelly and Callie Allison, 6-0, 6-3. 

“Our doubles, I felt like in each match in the last week or so, we’ve gotten a little bit better,” Dusch said. “We played pretty solid. We kind of had a letdown — a little bit — at No. 2 doubles after we won the first set 6-0, but it wasn’t in doubt.”

New Albany will face Corydon Central in the sectional finals tonight. The Panthers were ahead of Lanesville 3-1 when the match was delayed because of rain. The one doubles match in that game will resume today.  

FLOYD CRUISES

Floyd Central conceded just one game in the entire match during its 5-0 victory over Crawford County in the opening round of the Floyd Central Sectional on Wednesday. 

“I’m happy that we won today, and we’re going to continue to improve,” Floyd Central coach Rick Miller said. “I very much think that we’ve improved a ton. Right now it’s not about physical things. It’s about mental things, Xs and Os and putting yourself in the right spot.”

Olivia Boesing, Carmen Schreiber and Dana Frank each blanked their opponents in the singles spots, as did Katherine Dauby and Whitney Batliner in the No. 1 doubles position. Chelsey Shackleford and Kadey Welch won their match, 6-1, 6-0. 

Floyd Central faces Eastern in the semifinals today at 4:30 p.m. The winner will go on to face either Salem or North Harrison in the championship match on Friday. 

JEFFERSONVILLE SECTIONAL

• Jeff sweeps New Wash: The Jeffersonville squad blanked New Washington in the semifinals of the Jeffersonville Sectional on Wednesday, 5-0.

Julianna Jenks downed Courtney Amick in short order, 6-0, 6-1. Emily Lewis took down Tiffanie Brison, 6-2, 6-1, while Larissa Neville downed Melanie Dieterlen, 6-1, 6-1. 

Morgan Reilly and Macy Lancaster took care of business against Alex Seals and Ashley Johnson, 6-0, 6-1. 

The toughest match of the day was at two doubles, where Rachel Williams and Kaitlin Wunsch got past Amanda Kemp and Christen Walker, 6-3, 7-5. 

Jeffersonville will face off against Providence in the finals today.

• Providence survives against Clarksville: In a match slowed down by two rain delays, Providence scraped together a win against crosstown rival Clarksville, 3-2.

Jacqueline Hollkamp blanked Clarksville’s Chloe Stephens, 6-0, 6-0. 

The Pioneers swept the doubles positions. At one doubles, Megan Jakoby and Kelsey Haas downed Courtney Miller and Bailey Duggan, 6-2, 6-1. 

Kristin Simms and Sarah Federspiel won the critical third point for the Pioneers with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Abigail Hurtgen and Sharon Garcia. 

Clarksville’s wins came at the Nos. 2 and 3 singles positions with wins by Jackie Slaten and Tesia Jenkins. 

Providence faces Jeffersonville in today’s championship match. 

NEW ALBANY SECTIONAL

New Albany 5, Christian Academy of Indiana 0

Singles — Bellew d. Jones 6-1, 6-1; E. Kanii d. Heishman 6-1, 6-0; M.  Kanii d. Arrell 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles — Mooney-E. Hoffer d. Brown-Mitchell 6-1, 6-0; L. Hoffer -Bhimani d. Kelly-Allison 6-0, 6-3. 

FLOYD CENTRAL SECTIONAL

Floyd Central 5, Crawford County

Singles — Boesing d. Koopman 6-0, 6-0; Schreiber d. Ward 6-0, 6-0; Frank d. Lemus 6-0, 6-0. 

Doubles — Dauby-Batliner d. Banet-Esarey 6-0, 6-0; Shackleford-Welch d. Bowling-Melton 6-1, 6-0. 

JEFFERSONVILLE SECTIONAL

Jeffersonville 5, New Washington 0

Singles — Jenks d. Courtney Amick 6-0, 6-1; Lewis d. Tiffanie Brison 6-2, 6-1; Larissa Neville d. Melanie Dieterlen 6-1, 6-1. 

Doubles — Reilly-Lancaster d. Seals-Johnson 6-0, 6-1; Williams-Wunsch d. Kemp-Walker 6-3, 7-5. 

Providence 3, Clarksville 2

Singles — Jaqueline Hollkamp (P) d. Chloe Stephens 6-0, 6-0; Jackie Slaten (C) d. Margaret Bremmer 6-2, 6-3; Tesia Jenkins (C) d. Abbie Shelton 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles — Jakoby-Haas (P) d. Miller-Duggan 6-2, 6-1; Simms -Federspiel (P) d. Hurtgen-Garcia 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.