Mayo's Claire Loftus breezes into state singles semifinals

Oct. 26—MINNEAPOLIS — Claire Loftus did the expected Thursday in the Class 2A girls individual tennis tournament at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Tennis Center.

The Mayo junior, ranked second in the state, flew through the first two rounds of the event. Loftus recorded a 6-2, 6-1 win in the first round, then a 6-0, 6-0 win in the quarterfinals. No. 2 seed Loftus will face No. 3 Ava Nelson of Elk River in Friday's 8 a.m. semifinals. The championship and third-place matches are at 11:30 a.m.

There will be two Loftuses in the semifinals. Claire's freshman sister, Aoife, also won twice Thursday. The tournament's No. 5 seed won easily in the first round, then used three sets to beat No. 4 Lucy Nabedrick of Wayzata 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Aoife will meet No. 1 Cassandra Li of Eagan in the semifinals.

Mayo's No. 1-seeded doubles team of Malena Diehn and Keely Ryder had an easy time in their first two rounds, winning 6-0, 6-1 and then 6-1, 6-0.

—In the Class 1A individual meet at Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center, Lourdes' No. 3-seeded doubles team of Caroline Daly and Elyse Palen had an easy time in their first two rounds and will play in Friday's semifinals.

Unseeded Lourdes teammates Erin Witter and Taylor Elliott won their first match and then lost in the quarterfinals 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to No. 4 seed Ronnie Noska and Lauren Rutten of Staples-Motley..

In singles, Winona Cotter's Emma Hageman was impressive. After winning her first match by default, the unseeded sophomore beat No. 2 seed Annika Harberts-Ott of Providence Academy 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Hageman will take on Osakis' No. 3 seed Leah Maddock in the semifinals.

Semifinals are at 8 a.m., finals and third place at 11:30 a.m.

CLASS 1A

Singles

First round: Aoife Loftus (Mayo) def. Lila Collins (Brainerd) 6-0, 6-0; Claire Loftus (Mayo) def. Aisha Atayeva (Chaska) 6-2, 6-1. Quarterfinals: Aoife Loftus def. Lucy Nabedrick (Wayzata) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Claire Loftus (Mayo) def. Rashi Singh (Edina) 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles

First round: Malea Diehn/Keely Ryder (Mayo) def. Avery Schifsky/Shae Crockarell (Mounds View) 6-0, 6-1. Quarterfinals: Diehn/Ryder def. Brooklyn Keller/Reese Keller (Hastings) 6-1, 6-0.

CLASS 1A

Singles

First round: Avery Skaar (Thief River Falls) def. Livia Tennessen (Cannon Falls) 6-3, 6-4; Emma Hageman (Winona Cotter) def. Abbey Perry (default). Quarterfinals: Hageman def. Annika Harberts-Ott (Providence Academy) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Losers-bracket quarterfinals: Amyra Games (New London-Spicer) def. Tennessen 6-0, 6-4.

Doubles

First round: Erin Witter/Taylor Elliott (Lourdes) def. Malia Mikyska/Brenna Youngbauer (Pine City) 6-1, 6-1; Elyse Palen/Caroline Daly (Lourdes) def. Emma Gunderson/Isabelle Smith (Crookston) 6-1, 6-0. Quarterfinals: Ronnie Noska/Lauren Rutten (Staples-Motley) def. Witter/Elliott 6-1, 4-6, 6-1; Daly/Palen def. Katelyn Clements/Lisey Langhus (Providence Academy) 6-2, 6-1.