Mayo singles stars advance to state tennis tournament semifinals

Oct. 23—MINNEAPOLIS — Mayo’s Malea Diehn and Aoife Loftus both worked themselves safely into Friday’s Class 3A individual tennis tournament singles semifinals with a pair of convincing wins Thursday at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center.

Diehn won her first match 6-0, 6-0 and then her quarterfinal one 6-0, 6-1. Loftus won 6-2, 6-0 and then 6-2, 6-0 again. Loftus’ wins sets up a meeting with No. 1 seed Cassandri Li of Eagan in the 8 a.m. semifinals. Loftus is seeded fourth in the tournament, Diehn No. 2. Diehn will play Minneapolis Washburn’s unseeded Olivia Washburn in her semifinal.

In doubles, the Mayo combination of Ana Medina and Eliana Elder have reached Friday’s semifinals. They won their two matches 6-2, 6-2 and 6-2, 6-1. Medina and Elder are the No. 3 seed. They play No. 2 seed Raya Hou and Lauryn Schenck of Edina in the semis.

—In the Class 1A individual tournament at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center, Lake City’s combination of Therese Bauer and Rylee Thieren have reached the semifinals. They had winning scores of 6-4, 6-1 and then 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) to advance. Bauer and Thieren are the No. 2 seed and play No. 3-seeded Isla Dille and Molly Patten of Litchfield in Friday’s semis.

In Class 1A doubles, Cannon Falls’ Sophia Nerison and Livia Tennessen have advanced to the consolation semifinals which will happen at 8 a.m. Friday. In singles, Lake City’s Emma Siert has also advanced to the consolation semifinals.

—All of Friday’s championship, third-place and fifth-place action — in all three classes — is at 11:30 a.m. Class 2A is playing at Life Time Bloomington South.

—At U of M’s Baseline Tennis Center

Singles

First round: Aoife Loftus (Mayo) def. Megan Beack (St. Michael-Albertville) 6-2, 6-0; Malea Diehn (Mayo) def. Taylor Erickson 6-0, 6-0. Quarterfinals: Loftus (Mayo) def. Molly Miller (Bloomington Kennedy) 6-2, 6-0; Diehn (Mayo) def. Bella Starkman (Minnetonka) 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles

First round: Ana Medina/Eliana Elder (Mayo) def. Kennedy Stevenson/Addison Stevenson (Alexandria) 6-2, 6-2. Quarterfinals: Medina/Elder def. Brooklyn Keller/Reese Keller (Hastings) 6-2, 6-1.

—At Life Time Bloomington South

Singles

First round: Sam Williams (Mankato East) def. Olivia Regal (Stewartville) 6-0, 6-0. Consolation quarterfinals: Kendall Rice (Southwest Christian) def. Regal (Stewartville) 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles

First round: Anna Bricco/Aundra Aarre (Winona) def. Maddie Ring/Eva Huotari (Delano) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Quarterfinals: Josie Brown/Katie Jung (Holy Angels) def. Bricco/Aarre (Winona) 6-2, 6-3.

—At Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center

Singles

First round: Ronnie Noska (Staples-Motley) def. Emma Siert (Lake City) 6-2, 6-3; Lorelei Hartman (Red Wing) def. Emma Wuotila (Litchfield) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Quarterfinals: Chloe Alley (Minnehaha Academy) def. Hartman (Red Wing) 6-0, 6-1. Consolation quarterfinals: Siert (Lake City) def. Addison Fahey (Lesueur-Henderson) 6-0, 6-4.

Doubles

First round: Therese Bauer/Rylee Thieren (Lake City) def. Solveig Rahm/Maahi Ball (Mounds Park Academy) 6-4, 6-1; Addy Axtell/Emma Axtell (Mora) def. Livia Tennessen/Sophia Nerison (Cannon Falls) 6-4, 6-1. Quarterfinals: Bauer/Thieren (Lake City) def. Macy Sohre/Madison Ward (Maple River) 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1). Consolation quarterfinals: Nerison/Tennessen (Cannon Falls) def. Nina Messer/Ella Thorstad (Belle Plaine) 6-2, 6-4.