LocalSportsJournal.com
MIDLAND — Ludington’s girls tennis team was eliminated in the first day of the MHSAA Division 3 state finals at Midland, bowing out on Friday.
In the singles competition, senior McKenzie Sarto received a first-round bye at the No. 4 flight, and then advanced with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Cate Waters of Haslett.
But, then she faced No. 1 seed Olivia Zhang of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and couldn’t quite solve the puzzle and dropped the quarterfinal match.
Meanwhile, No. 3 singles player senior Kelly McPike took down Williamston’s Morgan Harkema, 6-0, 6-2 to reach round two, where she fell to Slisabeth Heymoss of Forest Hills Eastern, 6-1, 6-3.
Turning the doubles, Ludington’s pair of juniors Sarah Gibson and Emilie Phillips also picked up a win in the first round at No. 4 flight over Mackenzie Vargo and Zoe Wimberley of Edwardsburg in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.
But they stumbled in the second round, losing to the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep duo of Sarah Okka and Francheska Daugaru, 6-2, 6-0.
After receiving a first-round bye at the No. 1 singles flight, sophomore Emma McKinley was eliminated in the second round, losing to Muskin Rekhani of Forest Hills Eastern, 6-3, 6-0.
The No. 1 doubles team of Lillian Kolb and Mia Pung lost their first-round match to Hailey Fuller and Grace Clearwater in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
At No. 2 doubles the Orioles combination of senior Morgan Sanocki and sophomore Grace Higley went against the Otsego duo of Sydney Grile and Caroline Finch and lost, 6-3, 6-2.
Senior Meg Ruba and junior Sophia Sarto were defeated by Teagan Robertson and Alena Engle of Parma Western in the second round in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. They received a bye in the first round.
