Ratliff, Liberty doubles team advance to state semis

Haddow said.

Pickerington North junior Cassie Alcala, who was last year’s state runner-up in Division I singles, couldn’t continue her run after winning a district championship, as she lost in the opening round.

Advancing to the second round in Division I singles was Dublin Jerome junior Katherine Wang, who beat Oregon Clay’s Tori Gallaher 6-1, 6-1 before losing to Rocky River Magnificat’s Anna Roggenburk — last year’s state champion — 6-1, 6-0 in a quarterfinal.

In first-round Division I singles matches, Alcala lost to North Canton Hoover’s Laurel Utterback 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, Jerome junior Reagan Resor lost to Westlake’s Emma Peeler 6-0, 6-2, and Jerome sophomore Lalasa Nagireddy lost to Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame’s Kelli Niehaus 6-0, 6-0.

“(Utterback) literally played the match of her life,” Pickerington North coach Brian Hoff said. “We knew she was a good player, but she played great today.”

Also in Division I doubles, juniors Kortney Reed and Erin Storrer of Olentangy Orange and senior Evelyn Holman and junior Wendy Shi of Upper Arlington lost in the quarterfinals, while Liberty seniors Lexie Brengartner and Ellie MacDowell lost in the first round.

“(Being at state) means a lot, especially since we got to play on center court as our first time at state, which was pretty cool,” Reed said.

In Division II doubles, freshman Carmen Merkel and sophomore Lauren Motta of Academy lost in the second round.