Bluffton High School's Caitlyn Couch advanced to the quarterfinals of the girls tennis Div. II Northwest sectional tournament at UNOH Thursday, October 7.
Couch won a pair of tough three-set matches and was one victory short of qualifying for districts before falling in the round of eight.
Couch rallied to defeat Mya Garcia of Defiance in the first round of the singles flight 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Then in the round of 16, Couch gutted past Kayliann Howell of Celina 6-3, 6-7 (7-4), 6-1.
Couch then was eliminated one win short of the semifinals by second-seeded LCC's Libby Simmons 6-0, 6-0.
Pirate Brooke Camper won her first round match over Reece Miller of Defiance 6-2, 6-2.
Camper then lost to Celina's Amy Hartings in the round of 16 by a 6-2, 6-1 count.
Bluffton's Brooklyn Moser lost her play-in match to Aaliyah Newland of St. Marys 6-4, 6-3.
In the doubles flight, the Pirate duo of Libby Frazier and Ellie Nickel made it to the quarterfinals before being knocked out.
After getting a first round bye, Frazier and Nickel defeated Susanna Good and Elizbeth Brown of St. Marys 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
The Bluffton tandem then fell to the second-seeded St. Henry team of Ava Patel and Cara Debrosse 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
The other Bluffton doubles duo of Leah Klingler and Alyssa Hoffman lost to Tisha Martinez and Liz McCloud of Defiance Ayersville in their first match by a 7-6 (7-5, 6-2 score.
Those who made it to Saturday's semifinals in singles or doubles advance automatically to the district tournament next week.
