MINNEAPOLIS -- The Benson girls tennis team will play in its first-ever state tournament Wednesday morning while Minnewaska Area returns for a third year in a row.
The Braves play Rochester Lourdes, ranked No. 2 in the final State Coaches Association poll and which has won the last nine Class A team titles, at 10 a.m. at Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
The Lakers meet No. 3 St. James a match earlier at 8 a.m. St. James ousted Minnewaska 7-0 in the consolation semifinals in 2005 and then went on to win the consolation title 6-1 over Redwood Valley.
If the favorites prevail, Benson and Minnewaska would meet at 8 a.m. Thursday at Life Time Fitness in Burnsville in the consolation semifinals.
Benson tipped Litchfield 4-3 in the Section 3A championship match after dumping New London-Spicer 5-2 in the semifinals.
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Minnewaska knocked out Melrose 5-2 for its third straight Section 6A winner's trophy.
Both teams also have entrants in the Class A individual tournament on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, also at Reed-Sweatt, senior Jill Hagestuen of Benson will meet Alexa Palen, a Rochester Lourdes' sophomore who was on the winning doubles team last year (her sister Alyssa Palen won singles but has graduated). The Benson doubles team of freshman Abby Fragodt and junior Mackenzie Weber will meet the Pierz combo of senior twins Katie and Kristin Sczublewski.
Also, Sam Boushek and Alissa Mattison of Redwood Valley will tangle with Sara Dezell and Sheila Noska of Staples-Motley. Mattison was at state last year with a different partner, bowing out in the consolation semifinal.
Senior Madeline Gail of Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd will meet freshman Abby Edin of Staples-Motley in the first round. Gail, ranked 10th this fall, finished sixth at state as a junior. If Gail wins her first match, odds are she would face No. 3-ranked Brenna Kelly of No. 1-rated Mounds Park Academy in the quarterfinals.
In Class AA, Edina, like Rochester Lourdes, will be shooting for a 10th straight state title. For Edina, it would be the 25th girls tennis title overall.
