By Cort Reynolds

LIMA__Hannah Nieman of the Bluffton High School girls tennis team competed on day two of the Div. II sectionals at UNOH on Saturday, October 4.

The Pirate senior ace advanced to the singles semifinals with two wins Thursday to automatically qualify for the Div. II Port Clinton district tournament.

On Saturday, fourth seed Nieman lost to top sectional seed Maggie Schmiedebusch of Ottawa-Glandorf in the semifinals by a score of 6-1, 6-1. Schmiedebusch eventually won the sectional crown 6-3, 6-1 in the title round.

Then in the third-place match, Nieman lost 6-4, 6-1 to Shawnee’s Riya Naroor to finish fourth in the sectional tournament.

The top four singles players and top four doubles teams advanced to the PC district tournament October 8 and 11.

Nieman will be a fourth seed at the 16-player district tournament.

Play begins on Wednesday, October 8 at 10 a.m. In case of rain, the districts will be moved to Sandusky. The district semifinals and finals will be played Saturday, Oct. 11.

The top four district singles finishers will advance to the state tournament at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason Oct. 16-17.