Oct. 24—MINNEAPOLIS — Mayo senior Claire Loftus safely made it to the semifinal round of the Class 2A girls state individual tennis tournament Thursday, the defending singles champion winning both her matches Thursday with ease at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center.
Loftus won in the first round 6-3, 6-0 and then 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. Semifinal action begins at 8 a.m. Friday with the championship and third-place matches at 11:30 a.m.
There will be two Loftus sisters in Friday’s singles semifinals. While Claire Loftus will play Eagan’s Cassandra Li (No. 4 seed; Claire beat her in last year’s state final), sophomore sister Aoife Loftus will play Elk River’s Ava Nelson (seeded third) in the semis. Aoife, seeded No. 2, won her matches 6-0, 6-4 and 6-2, 6-2 Thursday.
Mayo’s state defending doubles champion duo of Malea Diehn and Keely Ryder won their first-round match 6-3, 6-3. In the quarterfinals they won 6-1, 6-1.
—In the Class A tournament at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center, Cannon Falls singles player Josie Sjoquist won her first match but then fell 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
The Lake City doubles team of Therese Bauer and Rylee Thieren won its first-round match 6-4, 7-5. In the quarterfinals they won 6-4, 6-1, putting them in Friday’s 8 a.m. semifinals.
Cannon Falls’ doubles tandem of Sophie Nerison and Livia Tennessen lost 6-1, 6-1 in the first round.
CLASS 2A
—At U of M’s Baseline Tennis Center
SINGLES
First round: Claire Loftus (Mayo) def. Lucy Saari (Forest Lake) 6-3, 6-0; Aoife Loftus (Mayo) def. Molly Miller (Bloomington Kennedy) 6-0, 6-4. Quarterfinals: C. Loftus (Mayo) def. Karina Fischer (Stillwater) 6-0, 6-0; A. Loftus (Mayo) def. Meryl Rosenberger (Visitation) 6-2, 6-2.
DOUBLES
First round: Malea Diehn/Keely Ryder (M) def. Amelia Larsen/Char Bakke (Maple Grove) 6-3, 6-3; Tessa Trivedl/Ella Roberts (Minnetonka) def. Ana Medina/Charlotte Colby (Mayo) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. Quarterfinals: Elena Peterson/Megan Berg (Bemidji) 6-1, 6-1.
Consolation:
CLASS A
—At Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center
SINGLES
First round: Josie Sjoquist (Cannon Falls) def. Lydia Sweep (Morris-MAGA/WGA) 6-3, 6-4. Quarterfinals: Casey Cronin (Holy Family Catholic) def. Sjoquist 6-1, 6-1.
DOUBLES
First round: Therese Bauer/Rylee Thieren (Lake City) def. Jenna Stoerzinger/Nikki Crocker (Pequot Lakes) 6-4, 7-5; Megan Thorfinnson/Alia Randt (Minnewaska) def. Sophia Nerison/Livia Tennessen (Cannon Falls) 6-1, 6-1. Quarterfinals: Bauer/Thieren (Lake City) def. Hannah Oie/Kayla Jahn (Lac Qui Parle Vall/Daw-B) 6-4, 6-1. Consolation: Lydia Sparby/Kayla Streich (Belle Plaine) def. Nerison/Tennessen 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
