The Litchfield girls tennis team dominated the Class A state quarterfinals, defeating Pine City 6-1 on March 5, 2024, at InnerCity Tennis in Minneapolis. The fourth-seeded Dragons swept all singles matches, securing their place in the state semifinals for the second consecutive year.
Litchfield’s performance was highlighted by impressive singles play. The squad’s victory marks a continuation of their strong trajectory, as they finished as the Class A state runner-up in 2023. The Dragons will face top-seeded Breck in the semifinals on March 6 at 08:00.
“Knowing that our team put in all this hard work — we earned it — and getting the win that we wanted feels amazing for our team,” said junior Emma Wuotila, who has been a key player at No. 3 singles for the past two seasons. Wuotila achieved a decisive 6-1, 6-1 win over Alyssa Miller and boasts an impressive record of 26-6 this season.
The singles victories continued with junior Molly Patten, who secured a 6-1, 6-4 win against Alana Linnell, improving her singles record to 22-6. Tayah Damerow, another junior, triumphed with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Myra Roubinek, bringing her record to 17-6. The final singles match featured a showdown between two of the state’s top players. Isla Dille, who remains undefeated with a record of 28-0, outperformed Brooke Boland with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Wuotila praised the team’s mindset, stating, “We had great mindsets. We all focused in.” After securing their four singles points, Litchfield’s doubles teams also contributed to the overall win, although the matches were shortened due to the team’s success in singles play.
Sophomore Elise Carlson and junior Brynn Nagel battled to a 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (3) victory against Brecklyn Nicoll and Lily Rootkie. Meanwhile, the duo of sophomore Kalie Ball and freshman Mya Iverson finished with a score of 3-6, 6-0, 1-0 (4) against Kendall Steele and Mallory Clepper.
With Tuesday’s matches concluded, Litchfield’s team can now focus on preparing for their semifinal challenge against Breck. “The whole team is really close,” Patten remarked. “It’s just gonna be fun to be with my team.”
As Litchfield aims for further success in the state tournament, their hard work and determination have already set them on a promising path.