Doubles partners Maicy Lourens and Phoenixx Penke led the Blair tennis team Monday during the Eastern Midlands Conference (EMC) Tournament in Lincoln.
The senior No. 1 pairing won their first-round match against Waverly and finished fourth as the Bears claimed fifth out of six schools.
“Tough conference,” BHS coach Matt Aschoff said. “Hopefully, (it'll) get us more prepared for state.”
Lourens and Penke won their first match 6-4, 6-3 before falling 6-3, 6-0 to a Norris duo in the semifinals. Then, for third, the Bears lost to an Elkhorn North pairing 6-1, 6-1.
Caitlynn Haggstrom, Bailey Dingfield and Addy Nilges, meanwhile, claimed fifth-place conference finishes in Aschoff's lineup.
Haggstrom claimed her result in No. 1 singles competition. She lost her opening match 6-4, 6-0, but responded with an 8-4 win against a Waverly opponent.
Dingfield and Nilges, meanwhile, earned fifth in No. 2 doubles play. The BHS duo lost a tight opening match 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), but won their second match decisively — 8-2.
The Bears' Alexandra Nilges also competed, going 0-2 at No. 2 singles. She lost to an Elkhorn North player 6-2, 6-2 and a Waverly opponent 8-5.
Blair was scheduled to compete back in Lincoln on Thursday before the Class B State Tournament on May 20. All three events, including Monday's EMC tourney, are at the Woods Tennis Center.
