It was safe passage for Rochester girls tennis players taking part Friday in the state Class A and AA individual tournaments in Minneapolis and Bloomington, respectively.
Lourdes, which has two singles players and two doubles teams represented in the Class A event at Nicollet Tennis Center, all won both their matches and moved into this morning's semifinals.
From Lourdes, that was the doubles teams of Rachel Tiegs and Natalie Scanlon, and Erica Johnson and Sarah Guzinski. Making it in singles players were Lourdes sisters Alyssa Palen and Alexa Palen. Alexa Palen had a rugged assignment in today's 8 a.m. semifinals, taking on defending state champion Natalie Newman of Blake.
Singles and doubles finals, as well as third-place matches are at 10:30 a.m.
Surviving the first two rounds in Class AA doubles at Northwest Athletic Club 98th St. were the Mayo combination of Rachael Click and Katie Carr. Their semifinals were at 8 a.m. today. Finals and third-place matches are at 10:30 a.m. Seniors Click and Carr finished third at state in doubles last year, fourth the year before.
ADVERTISEMENT
CLASS A
Singles
First round -- Alyssa Palen (Lourdes) def. Kristel Anderson (West Central Area) 6-0, 6-1; Alexa Palen (Lourdes) def. Jacque Peterson (Staples-Motley) 6-0, 6-3. Quarterfinals -- Alyssa Palen def. Marianne Barau (Glencoe-Silver Lake) 6-1, 6-1; Alexa Palen def. Isabella Dietrich (La qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd) 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles
First round -- Erica Johnson/Sarah Guzinski (Lourdes) def. Kristen Erickson/Jesse Mueller (New London-Spicer) 6-2, 6-0; Rachel Tiegs/Natalie Scanlon (Lourdes) def. Jenna Olson/Megan Carlson (Pine City) 6-1, 6-0. Quarterfinals -- Johnson/Guzinski def. Gretchen Goetz/Kristin Kelly (Breck) 6-2, 6-4; Tiegs/Scanlon def. Amanda Schlenker/Amy Myrold (Crookston) 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.
CLASS AA
Doubles
First round -- Rachael Click/Katie Carr (Mayo) def. Caitlin Conley/LeRoyce Chapman (Elk River) 6-1, 6-3. Quarterfinals -- Click/Carr def. Elizabeth Larson/Rebecca Heupel (Eden Prairie) 6-3, 6-3.
