COLUMBIA - The Helias girls tennis team fell to Belleville, Ill., East and Belleville, Ill., West on Friday at Rock Bridge.
The Lady Crusaders lost to Belleville West 6-3. Ashley Dowden and Abby Dowden (8-4), Megan Oliver and Liz Conley (8-3), and Grace Verslues and Emmi Theroff (8-0) lost in doubles. In singles, three Lady Crusaders won in tiebreakers: Ashley Dowden (4-6, 6-4, 10-6), Abby Dowden (4-6, 6-4, 10-5) and Oliver (6-4, 4-6, 10-7). Conley (6-4, 6-4), Verslues (2-6, 6-1, 10-7) and Theroff (6-1, 6-2) lost in singles play.
Belleville East defeated Helias 7-2. Ashley Dowden and Abby Dowden won 9-8 (7-3) in doubles. Oliver and Conley fell 8-4, and Verslues and Theroff lost 8-6.
In singles, Ashley Dowden was the lone winner (6-3, 6-3). Abby Dowden (6-1, 6-2), Oliver (6-1, 6-1), Conley (6-1, 6-0), Verslues (6-1, 6-1) and Theroff (6-0, 6-1) fell in singles.
In JV action against Belleville West, Catherine Conley won in singles 8-6. Catherine Conley and Ana Theroff (8-0), Kaitlyn Snyder and Kayla Walters (8-1), and Martina Lorang and Grace Twehous (6-1) fell in doubles.
Against Belleville East in junior varsity play, Ana Theroff and Catherine Conley (8-2) and Walters and Snyder (8-1) lost in doubles play.
Helias (4-2) returns to action Tuesday at Fulton.