Mayo girls tennis team will head to state unbeaten after section tournament romp
Oct. 10—BLOOMINGTON — The Rochester Mayo girls tennis team has tied a school record.
For just the second time in their illustrious program's history, the Spartans will enter the Class 2A state tournament unbeaten.
Mayo sewed that accomplishment up Tuesday at Lifetime Fitness, the No. 1-ranked Spartans blasting Stewartville 7-0 in the Section 1-2A semifinals, then drilling No. 10-ranked Lakeville North by the same score in the final.
Mayo now takes a 23-0 record to the Oct. 24-25 state tournament at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Tennis Center. There, they will be favored to win the school's first-ever state girls tennis championship.
Mayo is advancing to state for the 26th time in the last 27 years. The last time it showed up unbeaten was in 2008 when it eventually lost to Edina in the state final.
Longtime Spartans coach Jeff Demaray says this 2023 edition has never looked better.
"We are peaking at the right time," said Demaray, whose club dropped just nine games total in the two duals, romping to straight-set wins in all 14 matches. "Our singles has been phenomenal all year (with three players ranked in the state's top 10). But our doubles also really stepped up today, losing just four games total all day."
Among those doubles players is Audrey Aney, a senior in her sixth year of varsity tennis at Mayo. She too sees a uniquely special team here and one that is intensely focused.
"We have kept that same mindset all season, staying focused," Aney said. "Our singles lineup is outstanding. But our doubles teams have worked really hard all season, and we've been able to switch partners because we all know each other so well. It is an amazing group. It's been a blast getting to play with everyone."
On Tuesday, Aney started her day by teaming with Charlotte Colby at No. 3 doubles in the semifinals against Stewartville. Aney/Colby won 6-0, 6-0. Against Lakeville North, Aney switched to No. 1 doubles where Nandini Iyer was her partner. They beat Lakeville North's duo 6-0, 6-1.
It's that kind of team. Everybody seems to win and almost always by a lot.
That included Mayo's No. 2-ranked singles player Claire Loftus beating Lakeville North's No. 6-ranked Keira Kelly 6-1, 6-3 at first singles.
Demaray says it was also that kind of day, with virtually flawless tennis being played by his team.
"The whole team executed well," Demaray said. "We did a nice job of moving at the net and setting up points. Our kids went out and played every point like it was their last."
SEMIFINALS
Mayo 7, Stewartville 0
Singles: Claire Loftus (M) def. Chloe Regal 6-0, 6-1; Aoife Loftus (M) def. Olivia Regal 6-1, 6-0; Malea Diehn (M) def. Grace Miller 6-0, 6-0; Ana Medina (M) def. Amelia Griffin 6-0, 6-0. Doubles: Nandini Iyer/Keely Ryder (M) def. Katrina McCluskey/Addison Manley 6-0, 6-0; Diane Meunier/Bergen Jacob (M) def. Emma Manley/Anne Bestor 6-2, 6-0; Charlotte Colby/Audrey Aney (M) def. Sophia Oftedahl/Haley Laures (M) 6-0, 6-0.
Lakeville North 5, Lakeville South 2
Singles: Keira Kelly (LN) def. Reese Burton 6-1, 6-4; Addy Bowlby (LN) def. Ellie Chamberlin 6-1, 6-4; Sophia Scheglowski (LS) def. Svea Mosser 7-6 (7-3), 6-2; Ava Weiland (LN) def. Madison Morse 6-3, 6-4. Doubles: Chloe Cochrane/Hannah Weckman (LN) def. Nicole McKinney/Cydney Hutterer 6-2, 6-4; Abby Collins/Rose Miller (LS) def. Eva Welsch/Sofia Honda 7-5, 6-0; Brielle Barrieau/Nora Zimmel (LN) def. Haley Benson/Ivy Rahn 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
FINAL
Mayo 7, Lakeville North 0
Singles: Claire Loftus (M) def. Kelly 6-1, 6-3; Aoife Loftus (M) def. Bowlby 6-1, 6-2; Diehn (M) def. Mosser 6-0, 6-0; Medina (M) def. Weiland 6-0, 6-0. Doubles: Iyer/Aney (M) def. Cochrane/Weckman 6-0, 6-1; Ryder/Jacob (M) def. Welsch/Honda 6-0, 6-0; Colby/Meunier (M) def. Barrieau/Zimmel 6-1, 6-0.
