Tennis: Rice Lake has 2 flights finish as sectional runners-up

At Wednesday's Division 2 girls tennis sectional tournament in Minocqua, Rice Lake had two of its four flights reach the sectional championship match but were unable to guarantee a spot at the state tournament with a win.

The top four finishers in No. 1 singles and doubles, along with the sectional champions at No. 2 singles and doubles, qualifies for state. Up to eight special qualifiers from the four sectionals are also in the state tournament field. The state individual championships are Oct. 17-19 at Nielsen Stadium in Madison.

Karlee Seifert nearly punched her ticket to state at No. 2 singles for Rice Lake but came up short in a tight match for the sectional championship with Baldwin-Woodville's Charlee Sorenson. The first set went to a tiebreaker as Sorensen prevailed 7-6 (3), and in the second set it was the Blackhawk senior winning 6-3. Seifert had won her opening match of the day in the semifinals. It was a three-set battle with Lakeland's Norah Strassburg. The Rice Lake junior took the first set 6-2, but she dropped the second 0-6 to Strassburg. Playing a 10-point tiebreaker it took an extra point to win as Seifert advanced 11-9. Seifert has a record of 10-8 on the season.

Julia Thompson also reached the sectional championship match at No. 4 singles. She took down Lakeland's Ellie Baker 7-6 (3), 6-2. The Warrior senior came up short 3-6, 3-6 to Wausau Newman's Brecklyn Linder. Thompson concludes the season at 7-13.

At No. 1 singles, Verca Skorpikova was defeated 3-7 (3), 1-6 against Lakeland's Sarah Barton, who went on to win the sectional. Skorpikova has a record of 4-4 on the season in singles play and is 5-5 overall.

Hannah Yeager and Paisley Alton at No. 1 doubles for the Warriors dropped their first match 0-1, 1-6 to Stevens Point Pacelli's team of Natalie Cooper and Lauren Loesl, the eventual sectional runner-up. Seniors Yeager and Alton are 3-12 as doubles partners this year.