Althoff’s doubles team reaches round of 16 at Class 1A State Tennis Tournament

The Althoff doubles team of Mary Nester and Olivia Melichar won both of its matches and advanced to the round of 16 on Friday at the IHSA Girls State Tournament in suburban Chicago.

Winners of the Triad Sectional a week ago, Nester and Melichar rallied from being a set down to defeating Bailey Simpson and Regan O’Fallon, of Ottawa, in their first match then eased past Sierra Sonnemaker and Erica Shangraw, of Washington, 6-0, 6-4 to advance into the round of 16 on Friday.

The lone entry from the metro-east still playing in the main winners bracket, Nester and Melichar are scheduled to play Allison Kowalke and Claire Wortman, of Effingham’s St. Anthony High School, at Buffalo Grove High School. A win would push the Crusaders duo into the quarterfinals Friday afternoon.

Several other local players won two of three matches to advance to the consolation bracket Friday.

In Class 2A, three local entries advanced Thursday. Belleville East senior Isabel Burwitz rebounded from a tough first round setback to defeat two tough foes, including Sophie Davis, of (New Lenox) Providence Catholic 7-6, 6-1. Burwitz will take on Grace Chadick, of Plainfield North, at Palatine High School in a third round consolation match.

O’Fallon’s Miley Brunner and Kate Macaluso will take on Hailey Steinkamp and Kylie Skepnap, of Algonquin Jacobs, also at Schaumburg High. Macaluso and Brunner defeated Madison Skaggs and Mary Woods, of Champaign Centennial, 6-2, 6-3 in their third match Thursday.

The Edwardsville Tigers top doubles team of Grace Desse and Abby Cimarolli defeated Jayne Fradin and Kendall Oldham, of Glenbrook South, 6-0, 6-3 and will take on Sophia Kreider and Natalie Jamroz, of Oak Park-River Forest, at Schaumburg High School in a consolation round match.

In Class 1A, the only other entry playing on Friday will be the Highland doubles team of Kirsten Plocher and Kate Feldmann, who went 2-1 on Thursday. The Bulldogs duo will take on Laynie Laktas and Ashley Mohr, of Morton in Arlington Heights, in a third round consolation match.

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 9:47 PM with the headline "Althoff’s doubles team reaches round of 16 at Class 1A State Tennis Tournament."