Singles play at the girls 2A state tennis tournament ran pretty much true to form Thursday in the opening rounds at the Cedar Rapids Veterans Memorial Tennis Center.

Top-seeded freshman Jaci Cochrane of Fort Dodge cruised to two victories by 6-0, 6-0 scores, while second-seeded sophomore Eve Small of Iowa City High won 6-0, 6-0 and then 6-2, 6-3.

Both girls are undefeated this year.

Third-seeded sophomore Liera Bender of Johnston defeated Cedar Rapids Washington senior Kristin King 6-3, 6-1 in her first round match.

Playing in a stiff wind, the powerful Bender continued to pound the ball past King.

“She’s very strong and aggressive,” King said of her opening-game opponent.  “I tried to move her around so she couldn’t set up. But with the wind it was hard to get the ball deep in the court like I needed to.”

Bender advanced to Friday’s semifinals against Small with a 6-1, 6-4  second-round victory.

Cochrane will face unseeded Waukee junior Kayla Kuethe, who upended fourth-seeded sophomore Katie Melbourne of Pleasant Valley in three sets.

In the consolation bracket, King rebounded to defeat freshman Ellena Wolff of Dubuque Senior, 7-6, 6-4.

King lost to Melbourne 6-1, 6-2 in her third match of the day, however, and was eliminated from the tournament. King ended her season with a 13-6 record.