Olathe ? The sun set, the bleachers at College Boulevard Activity Center emptied, and Free State High’s doubles team of Rachel Walters and Andrea Chen kept on fighting to extend their stay at the Class 6A state tournament Friday night.

Hours after their first match began, the Firebirds and their opponents, Blue Valley’s Lizzy Meizenbach and Mallory Novicoff, were the only competitors still playing at the 12-court complex as the first day wrapped, and Walters and Chen attempted to join teammates Caitlin and Ali Dodd in today’s medal matches.

But a slow start to their fourth state match proved costly in a 9-3, season-ending setback for Free State’s No. 2 doubles team.

Chen, a junior, said she and senior Walters joked about winning the whole shebang, but really their goal was to get to Day 2.

“We just made some mistakes that we shouldn’t have in the beginning,” Chen said of their final loss, which made them 2-2 at state, “and it’s really hard to get out of that, mentally.”

Chen and Walters won their first elimination match late in the afternoon, with a 9-8 (7-3) tiebreaker victory over Wichita East’s Dranise Brown and Cassidy Steward, to extend their state run. Walters said the Firebirds, who had led that match 6-3, got through some stressful moments in that one.

“We just had to keep our energy up,” she said, “and once we got going, we had to keep fighting.”

Sisters and Free State doubles partners Caitlin and Ali Dodd survived the first day, with a bye, a victory and a loss. They’ll be right back at it today, beginning at 9 a.m.

Friday marked the end of the line for Betsy Smoot and Natalie Cote, of Lawrence High, who won their first match before finishing 1-2.

It looked as if the Lions were in for a swift exit on the consolation side of the bracket, down 4-0, to Lindsey Wagaman and Olivia Taylor, of Washburn Rural. But Smoot and Cote came storming back before a 9-7 loss ended their season.

“We pushed back,” said Cote, a junior, “which is all you can really ask for.”

Smoot, a senior, left Olathe happy they pulled it together after she achieved her seasonlong goal of competing at state for the first time.

“I’m so glad I went here with Natalie. I wouldn’t want to be playing with anyone else. She did awesome — awesomely, I guess,” Smoot clarified, as she and her teammate shared a laugh.

Cote called Smoot her “rock” and said the Lions showed well at state, noting their 6-2, 6-2 loss to Athena Tran and Lauren O’Brien, of Blue Valley North.

“We got some games off of people that we probably shouldn’t have gotten games off of,” Cote said.

Class 6A Girls Tennis

State Tournament

Friday at Olathe, College Boulevard Activity Center

City results

Doubles

Caitlin Dodd-Ali Dodd, Free State: def. Colleen Freeman-Lexy Drummond, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3; lost to Gretchen Cooper-Larkin McLiney, Shawnee Mission East, 6-3, 6-0.

Rachel Walters-Andrea Chen, Free State: def. Grace Proett-Abby Brown, Hutchinson, 6-4, 6-3; lost to Karen Yan-Evelyn Chang, Blue Valley North, 6-2, 6-2; def. Dranise Brown-Cassidy Steward, Wichita East, 9-8 (7-3); lost to Lizzy Meizenbach-Mallory Novicoff, Blue Valley, 9-3

Betsy Smoot-Natalie Cote, Lawrence: def. Brooke Peggs-Madison Surmeir, Wichita Northwest, 6-3, 6-2; lost to Athena Tran/Lauren O’Brien, Blue Valley North, 6-2, 6-2; lost to Lindsey Wagaman-Olivia Taylor, Topeka Washburn Rural, 9-7.