Olentangy Liberty senior Alex Power hasn’t had a problem qualifying for the OHSAA Division I girls’ state tennis tournament. She’s done it three of the last four years. Getting past the first day of competition, that’s been her nemesis.

Until now, that is.

In two previous trips to the showcase, Power has won two matches. Friday at Elysium Tennis Center in Plain City, she took two straight — a 6-3, 6-2 first-round win over Tipp City Tippecanoe freshman Sierra Nellessen and a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) thriller over Massillon Jackson junior Trisha Conlan — to cruise into the semifinals, automatically earning a spot in Ohio’s final four.... Cont'd