From injured to improved.

That's the journey Catholic Central's Leah Ann Miller took during her sophomore season on the area's prep tennis courts. That's how last season's News-Sun All-Area Girls' Tennis Player of the Year became this season's News-Sun All-Area Girls' Tennis Player of the Year.

Who said there was such a thing as a sophomore jinx?

"Overall, it was a pretty good season," Miller said. "I wished I would have qualified for state, but I just ran into really tough competition at districts. Sometimes, you just run into people who are just a little bit better. There's always going to be someone who's better than you."

Miller was knocked out of districts by the eventual state champion.

"That gives me something to strive for," she said.

For a while, though, that jinx looked like a reality.

"She had that injury, so she didn't take any more lessons," Irish coach Bill Herzog said. "And because of that, she didn't get any more training in."

But she still improved. She went 25-3, with only one regular-season loss against a schedule that was ramped up to give her and freshman standout Frannie Trempe more tests during the season. And after losing in the first round of districts last year, Miller was able to earn her first district victory last month.

In fact, the injury might have been a blessing in disguise.

"It gave her something to shoot for," Herzog said. "Her getting beat in districts in the first round last season made her work harder, too. For her to get that far (second round of districts) was really an improvement and shows she's getting better every year."

Being the top tennis player in the area takes hard work. But on top of that, she plays soccer for the Irish, too.

"Soccer doesn't get in the way," she said. "I practice tennis every day. My soccer coach understands tennis is No. 1 with me. I want to play tennis in college.

"But I think if I didn't play soccer, I'd get bored."

What's next?

"We're getting one step at a time," Herzog said. "The next two years, we might see her at state. Who knows? We'll see."