Oct. 23—MINNEAPOLIS — Rochester Mayo advanced to its second straight state final in Class 2A team tennis.
The Spartans, the No. 1 seed and defending state champions, defeated No. 4 seed Maple Grove 4-3 in Wednesday morning’s semifinals at the University’s Baseline Tennis Center of Minnesota.
It was the closest matchup that undefeated Mayo had experienced this season.
The Spartans swept all four singles spots, winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1, 2 and 3 singles, and 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4 singles.
In an upset, Mayo’s No. 1 doubles combination of Keely Ryder and Malea Diehn lost in three sets. Ryder/Diehn are the defending doubles champions and will look to repeat later this week.
Mayo takes a 23-0 record into the 4 p.m. championship matchup where it will face No. 2 seed Edina.
Mayo beat Edina 6-1 in last year’s state final and beat the Hornets in both of their meetings this year, 6-1 and 5-2.
May 4, Maple Grove 3
Singles: Claire Loftus (Mayo) def. Summer Ode 6-0, 6-0; Aoife Loftus (Mayo) def. Livia Walseth 6-0, 6-0; Ana Medina (Mayo) def. Eva Langen 6-0, 6-0; Eliana Elder (Mayo) def. Aurora Bogdanowics 6-1, 6-0. Doubles: Maddie Larsen/Lexi Helmer-Jahnke (MG) def. Keely Ryder/Malea Diehn 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 10-8; Char Bakke/Amelia Larsen (MG) def. Charlotte Colby/Diane Meunier 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-7; Peyton Weigelt/Addison Doherty (MG) def. Grace Pickering/Emily Loftus 6-3, 6-0.
