By Cort Reynolds
LIMA - The Bluffton girls tennis team competed in the Elida Invitational tournament Saturday at the Denny Schwinnen Courts.
The four-team event included Bluffton, Celina, Elida and Van Wert. Van Wert was victorious at singles and "A" doubles, and narrowly captured the Invitational team title by one point over Celina.
VW scored 13 points, while Celina compiled 12 points and Elida 10. Bluffton was fourth with one point.
The teams competed in four separate divisions: singles, A doubles, B doubles and C doubles. Each division winner received five points for their team, the runner-up earned three points and one point was given for the consolation winner.
The Bluffton junior duo of Libby Frazier and Ellie Nickel captured the only match the Pirate girls won and earned a point in the C doubles bracket.
The duo lost their first match in three sets 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to a Celina tandem. The pair then rallied to beat Jamie Burenga and Tayzia Havil of VW 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third-place match.
Pirate freshman Caitlyn Couch lost 6-2, 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker) in the first singles round to eventual runner-up Grace Schneider of Celina. She then fell to Ava Long of Elida 6-2, 6-1 in the consolation finals.
Pirate senior Olivia Barnes and Brooke Camper lost in the A doubles first round 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Elida. They then fell in another tough three-setter in the consolation match by a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 score to a duo from Celina.
In the B doubles flight, Bluffton senior Julia Smallcombe and classmate Pearl Lewandowski lost in straight sets in both the semifinals and in the consolation finals.
Bluffton (2-6) plays its next scheduled dual match Wednesday, September 9 at home vs. Elida.
