Senior Taylor Kramer and junior Jordynn Simpson defeated Millard South 6-2, 6-3 in the first round at the state tennis competition in Omaha on Thursday. Going into the day Simpson said, “The most important thing is playing as a team and not playing by yourself. We need to be aggressive at the net, and if we do that well, we will win the game.” In the second round, Kramer and Simpson lost 6-3, 6-1, to Lincoln North Star. Head Coach John Lehmer said, “I felt like they played pretty well in the first match, but they played a little below what they are capable of in the second match.” Simpson’s goal for the tournament was to advance to the second round. “I was pretty proud of myself because I achieved my goal of getting into the second round. My goal for next year is to make it to the third round, be a better player, and be better overall,” said Simpson.

The luck of the draw was not in favor of the Lady Dawgs at this year’s tennis state championships. The Lady Dawgs played seeded opponents in every division except for #2 doubles, despite none of the Lady Dawgs being seeded. At #1 singles, senior Erin Weaver fell 6-0, 6-0 to Millard North. Junior Téa Guerra didn’t fare much better at #2 singles, also losing 6-0, 6-0 to Pius X. At #1 doubles, seniors Olivia Nicholson and Hayley Schanou were defeated 6-2, 6-2, by Lincoln East. Guerra looked at the tournament as a learning experience, saying, “It’s not about winning, it’s about learning and getting better for next year.”