Elk River and Maple Grove, quarterfinal opponents at the girls' tennis state tournament, had not only played each other twice during the season — each team won once — but the teams were training partners, the players fast friends.
Elk River won the clash of familiarity, beating Maple Grove 5-2 at Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus to advance to Wednesday's semifinals. Championship matches also will be Wednesday.
The Elks' No. 1 doubles pairing of senior Kate Perbix and junior Leah Skogquist-Berg clinched the match-winning point. The Elks had won three of the first four singles matches and needed just one point at doubles to advance. Perbix and Skogquist-Berg provided it with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 victory.
"Our whole team drills with them in the offseason, so it's kind of a mental and emotional battle," Perbix said. "You've got to put the friends part on the side and start playing."
Perbix admitted it wasn't easy, particularly when the situation called for a more ruthless approach.
"It's hard when they are your friends, especially when you have to hit it right at them," she said. "But you know you have to do it. And they did it to us, too. So it's all good."
The victory ensured the Elks a semifinal match against No. 1 seed Minnetonka, which defeated Mounds View 6-1 to improve to 21-0. Perbix, one of the Elks' captains, admitted the task of playing the defending state champions and tournament favorite is daunting, but considering the alternative, she was ready to face it head on.
"I'm so proud of Elk River," she said. "The past three times we've come here, we've lost in the first round. With Minnetonka, we're just going to go out with an open mind. You never know. People have off days."
