By Cort Reynolds
LIMA - Seven Bluffton girls tennis players competed at the Div. II sectional tournament hosted by Elida this past Thursday at UNOH.
Forty singles players competed, with only the final four moving on to districts next week.
Pirate senior Erin Hotmire won her first match, a round of 32 battle, over Rachel Wilcox of Bath by a 6-0, 6-2 score. In the round of 16, Hotmire eliminated Defiance's Alexa Bickford easily in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.
Then in the quarterfinals, Hotmire lost to fourth-seeded Kunmi Ojo of Shawnee 6-0, 6-1. The defeat ended her season one win short of district qualification.
Bluffton junior Olivia Barnes lost her round of 32 opening match to Alli Morrow of Van Wert by a 6-4, 6-1 score.
Pirate Ellison Pugsley also lost in her first round match to Brianna Shank of Defiance 6-0, 6-1.
In the 24-team doubles tournament, the Pirate sophomore tandem of Ellie Nickel and Libby Frazier won their first match over Katie White and Liz McCloud of Defiance Ayersville 6-0, 6-1.
The duo then lost in the round of 16 to the fourth-seeded LCC tandem of Madie Brinkman and Morgan Chaney, 6-0, 6-0.
Bluffton's Pearl Lewandowski and Julia Smallcomb got a first round bye but were then also defeated in the round of 16 by Defiance's team of Chloe Wetstein and Marissa Blunt 6-4, 6-3.
