Local girls’ tennis players hit the court for sectional tournament play last week.

Bethel, Felicity and Western Brown sent representatives west to Mason for their matches.

Kara Partin, Tori Burkitt and Alyssa Barnhouse represented the Lady Tigers in the Division II sectional held at the Lindner Tennis Center. Partin lost her match to CNE’s Chandra Griffs 6-1, 6-1 while Burkitt fell to Batavia’s Olivia Moon, who earned the fourth overall seed in the bracket.

Barnhouse had to play her way into the 32-player field with a match against Blanchester’s Sarah Haines. The Lady Tiger knocked off Haines 7-6 (4), 6-3 to advance to a match with Felicity’s Jalyn Clark. Barnhouse knocked Clark out of the tournament by another 7-6 (4), 6-3 decision, but she herself was eliminated one round later by the third-seeded Kay Daly from McNicholas. Daly would go on to win the sectional championship.

In addition to Clark, Felicity also sent Sydney Stamper to Mason. Stamper fell in her first match of sectional play to another McNicholas Rocket. Sally Daoud won her first match against New Richmond’s Madeline Walls 6-0, 6-0 and advanced past Stamper 6-0, 6-2.

In doubles play, Clark and teammate Davenport teamed up to beat Bethel’s Webster/Barnes duo 0-6, 6-4, 6-0. They were eliminated in the next round, yet again, by the Rockets 7-5, 6-3.

Cadigen/Blake also fell in the first round for the Lady Cardinals, dropping a 6-0, 6-0 match to a pair of CNE Rockets.

Bethel’s Martin/Clark also fell in the first round of doubles play, dropping a 6-0, 6-3 decision to Goshen’s Salmons/Middick.

Western Brown’s sectional matches took place at Mason Middle School, where sophomore Becca Carroll earned a match against top-seeded Alexa Abele from Sycamore High School. Carroll was scheduled to take on Glen Este’s Sarah Kersies in a play-in match, but Kersies withdrew. Carroll lost to Abele 6-0, 6-0. Abele would go on to win the sectional title, losing just five games the entire tournament.

Teammate K.K. Massey drew Ursuline’s Rashimi Rege for her first-round match, but like Carroll, she fell 6-1, 6-1. Kasi Boyd withdrew from her match against Loveland’s Becca Antrim.

The Broncos had a bit more success in double’s play. Jazmyn Pierce and Nena Taylor teamed up to knock off Little Miami’s Brooke Davis and Isabella Hardesty in their first-round match. They would fall to Milford in the next round, however.

Hailey Bradshaw and Kasey Fox rallied after losing the first set to Little Miami’s Laura Griggs and Liezl Romero 6-1 to take a three-set victory, but the duo fell to Ursuline’s Jenny Duma and Gabriella O’Connor, who would finish second after losing the final match.

Broncos, Cardinals and Tigers all head to Mason

By Garth Shanklin

gshanklin@civitasmedia.com

Reach Garth Shanklin at 937-378-6161 or gshanklin@civitasmedia.com.