By Chris Bennett
Sports correspondent
The season ended a few matches shy of state this season for two the Elkhorn Area High School girls tennis players but continues for their teammate.
Gabby Richardson and Payton Christensen and Ali Smith each advanced to a WIAA Division 1 sectional tournament Oct. 4 at Oconomowoc.
Richardson advanced and is slated to take the court at the state tournament at 11:45 a.m. today.
Christensen and Smith, however, played their final matches of the season.
The top four finishers in Flight 1 and the top finisher in Flight 2 in singles and doubles at each sectional advance to the WIAA Division 1 State Individual Tennis Tournament, which starts today and runs through Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
Richardson, playing at No. 1 singles, beat Madison East’s Grace Rider 6-4, 6-0 in her first match at the sectional tournament.
Richardson lost her second match in straight sets to Latsami Sysouvanh of Sun Prairie. Richardson finished third in a retired match against Watertown’s Ricki Budewitz.
Christensen and Smith lost their only match in sectional competition in straight sets to Monona Grove’s Amanda Newman and Hailey Munz.
The three advanced to the sectional meet out of a subsectional tournament Oct. 2 at Beloit Memorial.
Richardson finished fourth and Christensen and Smith finished second in their respective flights at the Beloit Memorial sectional.
The Elks finished fifth as a team in the sectional tournament. Janesville Craig won the team title.
Update: Richardson was defeated in her first match at the WIAA State Tennis Tournament. See details in the Oct. 19 Independent.
