The competition was tough for the Lady Panther tennis team Thursday in McPherson. The host Bullpups, with two rosters in action, scored 53 and 41 points for first and fourth place, respectively. Great Bend scored 15 points for eighth place.
Clarise Snapp drew reigning Class 3-2-1A state runner-up Katie Weiss of Sacred Heart in round one of the singles bracket. Weiss won 8-0 and never surrendered a single game on her way to the title. Kaylin Wahlmeier lost her first match to McPherson 8-5. Losses in round two meant meant a head-to-head matchup for the Lady Panthers with Wahlmeier defeating Snapp 8-1. Wahlmeier also won an 8-1 match against Newton to finish 13th overall. Snapp closed out her day with an 8-2 win against Valley Center for 15th.
In the doubles bracket, Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley scratched out a couple games in an 8-2 loss to Derby in round one. Danica Strickland and Mackenzie LaViolette lost their opener to Valley Center 8-0. Mayers and Lashley rebounded for an 8-6 win against McPherson but dropped their next set 8-4 to Newton. The girls defeated Newton's other team 8-5 for 11th. After a loss in round two, Strickland and LaViolette defeated Sacred Heart 8-1. They lost an 8-1 match to McPherson in the 13th-place match.
Great Bend will host a round-robin tournament on Sept. 5, and stays home for its invitational on Sept. 9.