Kowalke Advances In State Tennis Tourney (Updated)

Competing in singles, Kowalke won in the first round over GiGi DeGennaro of Belvidere, 6-0, 6-0. She then downed Maya Jenny of Danville Schlarman, 6-1, 6-2.

Kowalke lost to Brooklyn Sigel of Chicago Wolcott, 6-0, 6-2. She dropped into the fourth round of consolation to face Talia Truska of Chicago Latin Friday and fell 6-3, 6-0 to finish out her stay at the tourney.

The Bulldogs also had a doubles team competing. Mia Kinkelaar and Ellie Link lost in their first round to Teagan Nodorft and Rylee Ivers of Waterloo, 6-0, 6-2. They claimed the second round over Clare Smith and Jaidyn Bush of Chicago Heights Marian, 6-0, 6-0.

But the duo exited the tournament with a second loss, this one to someone they know well, Teutopolis' Olivia Hemmen and Anna Probst, 6-2, 6-3.

Hemmen and Probst took a first round victory over Abbey Lakickas and Emma Manthey of Lemont. The contest was hard-fought after Lakickas and Manthey won the first set 6-2 but Hemmen and Probst  came back to take the match 7-5, 10-8.

The duo then fell to Ava Towne and Josie Hotsinpiller of Danville, 6-1, 7-5 before beating Kinkelaar and Link. The pair then fell in the third round of consolation to Audrey Litfin and Jillian Paulson of West Chicago Wheaton Academy, 6-2, 7-5 to end their stay at State.

Effingham High School's Aila-Jai Woomer and Izzy Volpi competed in doubles and fell in opening round action to Anna Houpt and Lexi Ellis of Danville, 6-0, 6-2. The pair won in the first round of consolation over Ali English and Katie Lis of Oak Forest, 6-2, 6-3.

The Hearts duo then lost to Danielle Savin and Anna Beth Woolf of Winnetka North Shore Country Day, 6-4, 6-0 to exit the tournament.