Demons duo to play in state doubles semi

Demi Jhaveri and Ashley Michelich will certainly remember this weekend.

Making their first trip to the state tennis tourna- ment, the Westlake doubles team defeated its first two opponents to advance to a Division I doubles semifinal tomorrow, where they will face Cincinnati Ursuline Academy’s team of Nina Dhaliwal and Gabriella O’Connor at 9 a.m..

The duo of juniors were joined at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason by junior teammate Emma Peeler as well as Rocky River junior Sarah Robertson, who both fell in the first round.

Jhaveri and Michelich started their day against the Cincinnati Sycamore team of Harsitha Kalaiarasan and Helen Sotropa, winning 6-3, 7-6 (4). Sycamore’s Kalaiarasan had been to last year’s state tournament as a freshman with a different partner.

The Demons’ duo advanced to face Upper Arlington’s Michelich Jhaveri

Evelyn Holman and Wendy Shin in the quarterfinals, winning, 7-5, 6-3. As with the previous round, Upper Arlington’s team had some experience on its side as Holman qualified for the state tournament last year as a sophomore with a different partner.

Peeler, a three-time state qualifier, lost in the first round to Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame junior Kelli Niehaus, 6-4, 6-4. Niehaus and Peeler both advanced to the D-I quarterfinals last year.

Roberston, playing in her first state tournament, faced off with Mason’s Ananya Aggarwal, losing, 6-3, 6-2. Aggerwal went on to win her second match and advance to the D-I quarterfinals tomorrow.