SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Helias' Ashley Dowden gave it a valiant effort to the end.
Dowden lost 6-4, 6-3 to Risa Takenaka of Francis Howell North in the quarterfinals of the Class 2 state individual tennis tournament on Friday.
It was her first loss of the season.
She defeated Webb City's Maranda Ann Miller 6-0, 6-0 in the first round.
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