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OHSAA State Tennis Preview
 October 21-22, 2011

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October 18, 2011

 Brackets Set For OHSAA Girls State Tennis Tournament
 Four of six 2010 champions return to lead competitive field

COLUMBUS, Ohio � The 2011 OHSAA girls state tennis championships begin Friday at 9 a.m. at the newly renovated OSU Outdoor Varsity Tennis Courts (formerly the Stickney Tennis Center).

The Division I singles tournament features a highly competitive field highlighted by 2010 singles state champion Sandy Niehaus (Jr., Cincinnati Mt. Notre Dame) and 2010 doubles champion Mehvish Safdar (Soph., Cincinnati Ursuline Academy). Safdar joins the singles tournament after the graduation of her sister and partner Komal Safdar, the 2009 singles champion. Other strong contenders for the DI crown include three-time state qualifier Lauren Golick (Jr., Westlake), two-time state qualifier Anna Sanford (Soph., Lewis Center Olentangy Orange) and highly-touted freshman Kennedy Shaffer (Toledo St. Ursula Academy); all who received the No. 1 seed in their respective district tournaments.

Dublin Jerome partners Lauren Bellinger (Jr.) and Sarah Stein (Jr.) are back and looking to improve on their 2010 Division I doubles runner-up finish. They look to be challenged by Hilliard Bradley partners Lauren Thai (Jr.) and Ashley Thai (Jr.), who moved up to DI this year after winning the 2010 DII state tournament. Other top seeds are Canfield junior Allison Pavlansky, who returns to the state tournament with a new partner, Gabrielle Brant (Sr.); Perrysburg seniors Cammy Messenger and Carmen Alkine; and Springboro partners Aundrea Busse (Soph.) and Julie Brockman (Jr.).

The girls Division II singles tournament will have to go through 2010 runner-up Rachel Nelson (Jr., Millersburg West Holmes). Three-time state qualifier Emily Mazolla (Sr., Chagrin Falls) and four-time state qualifier Drew Fillis (Sr., Toledo Ottawa Hills) hope to end their career with a state crown after earning a No. 1 seed in their respective district tournaments.

The Division II doubles tournament is wide open with the move of Hilliard Bradley to Division I and the return of only two 2010 doubles teams. Because of the inexperience, 2010 DII doubles runner-up Dominique Baxter (Sr., Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) and her new partner Holly Dahmus (Sr.), who have a combined seven tournament appearances, are one of the early favorites along with Waverly�s Lauren Hoffman (Sr.) and Madison Hoffman (Sr.) and Dayton Oakwood�s Anne Connelly (Sr.) and Jackie White (Jr.).

Contact: Kristin Daugherty, [email protected]

 

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