LINCOLN — On the hottest day of the year, the top players in Class B didn’t need — or want — much time on the court.
The top four seeds in No. 1 singles coasted through their first-day state tournament matches, dropping a combined total of five games in 10 matches, Thursday at the Woods Tennis Center.
Top seed Kate Krueger of Omaha Duchesne won both of her matches 6-0, 6-0. The Creighton commit said she played a tournament over Easter weekend in Las Vegas, which helped prepare her for the 90-plus-degree heat.
“It’s definitely different than we are used to. We’ve been playing in 60-degree weather mostly,” said Krueger, who improved to 27-0 on the season.
Krueger will face off against Grand Island Central Catholic’s Ashlyn Kucera, who dropped four games over three matches.
Defending No. 1 singles champion Brianna Liu of Brownell Talbot/Concordia had an easier route to the semis as she played both her matches indoors and dropped just one game. Liu will meet undefeated Kassidy Michaelis of McCook, who didn’t drop a game in three matches.
In the team race, Omaha Duchesne leads with a perfect score of 36 as all four of its entries made the semifinals. GICC is in second place with 34 points and three semifinalists, while McCook is in third place with 32 points and two semifinalists.
Duchesne coach Nate Evans said he is glad his three No. 1 seeds (No. 1 singles, No. 1 doubles and No. 2 doubles) made the semifinals, and he was most happy for No. 2 singles player Abigail Brewster.
Brewster, the fifth seed, held on to beat Sydney Steward of McCook 7-5, 2-6, 10-7 in the quarterfinals
Team scores: Omaha Duchesne 36, Grand Island Central Catholic 34, McCook 32, OBTC 26, Norris 22, Elkhorn 16, Kearney Catholic 16, Lincoln Christian 16, Gering 14, Holdrege 14, York 14, Crete 12, Ogallala 12, Omaha Skutt 10, Beatrice 8, Hastings 6, Hastings St. Cecilia 6, Lexington 6, Ralston 6, Scottsbluff 6, Waverly 6, Adams Central 4, Alliance 4, Hershey 4, Wilber-Clatonia 4, South Sioux City 2, Blair 0, Nebraska City 0, Omaha Gross 0, Omaha Roncalli 0
Quarterfinal results
No. 1 singles: Katherine Krueger, OD, def. Kaylin Brown, Holdrege, 6-0, 6-0; Ashlyn Kucera, GICC, def. Ashley Waggoner, KC, 6-0, 6-1; Kassidy Michaelis, McCook, def. Zoee Smith, Gering, 6-0, 6-0; Brianna Liu, OBTC, def. Katelyn Jindra, Crete, 6-0, 6-0.
No. 2 singles: Aruna Bashir, OBTC, def. Courtney Toner, GICC, 6-0, 6-2; Abigail Brewster, OD, def. Sydney Stewart, McCook, 7-5, 2-6, 10-7; Bobbie Claflin, Gering, def. Huong Ngo, Crete, 6-1, 6-1; Mallorie Buescher, Lex, def. Mary Killgore, OS, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 1 doubles: Lesley Lam and Meena Sutpathy, OD, def. Anna Kotula and Cecan Porter, OBTC, 6-1, 6-2; Georgia Havel and Isabel Havel, Norris, def. Claire Burford and Sarah Riddell, Elkhorn, 6-1, 7-6 (4); Riley Hansen and Kori Uerling, McCook, def. Lilith Fair and Madison Mendoza, Ogallala, 6-4, 6-3; Katie Maser and Avery Kalvoda, GICC, def. Morgan Peterson and Kaitlyn Phinney, York, 6-1, 6-1.
No. 2 doubles: Jane Krueger and Kiersten Capelle, OD, def. Megan Hodgson and Delaney Jumps, McCook, 7-5, 7-6 (4); Brooklyn Schrader and Caitlyn Anderson, LC, def. Anastasia Krueger and Madeline Starr, Norris, 6-4, 6-2; Jenna Lowry and Megan Woods, GICC, def. Diana Acosta and Taylor Manion, Alliance, 6-1, 6-0; Brooke Eschenbrenner and Liza Trettel, KC, def. Erin Case and Natalie Rockenbach, York, 1-6, 6-3, 10-8.
