Free State doubles players Ali Dodd, left, and Keegan VanPelt high five after a point against Olathe Northwest's Mallory Brown and Kristen Knipp on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 at Free State High School.

Heading into Wednesday’s home tournament, Free State High’s girls tennis players admitted they were tired after playing in several matches the previous day.

Once they stepped onto the court, they didn’t show any signs of fatigue.

Free State’s top doubles pairing of senior Ali Dodd and freshman Keegan VanPelt posted a 3-0 record on their way to a first-place finish at FSHS. In the championship, Dodd and VanPelt earned a straight-set win over the school’s other doubles team of junior Gabby Gorman and sophomore Anna Peard, which they said was a tough match to play.

“It’s definitely really hard because they are some of our closest friends,” Dodd said. “I think mentally it’s really tough because we play them every day in practice. You never want your team to lose and having to play your team, there has to be a winner and a loser.”

During the first two matches of the four-school tournament, Dodd and VanPelt only dropped a total of two games. They breezed past opponents with strong serves, solid groundstrokes and their ability to attack the net.

“We both just trust each other a lot,” Dodd said. “More confident in the plays we make. I just think we play really well together.”

Gorman and Peard advanced to the title match with a marathon 8-6 victory over a doubles team from Olathe Northwest. Both doubles tandems hit high lobs at each other for long rallies, forcing the other team to avoid errors.

In singles, Free State junior Kate Piper lost in the championship match to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Lily Oliver, 6-2, 6-0.

Piper, who won her first two matches by identical 8-1 scores, admitted she started to feel how tired she was in the second set of the title match.

“That was tough,” Piper said. “(Oliver) was a really good player. Hit the hard shots back at me. Got every ball back. We had some really long rallies. We got into deuce like 10 times.”

Free State's Kate Piper returns a serve against Shawnee Mission North's Bayley Newman during a quad on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 at Free State High School.

In the past year, Piper has increased the velocity of her groundstrokes and puts pressure on opponents when she lands her first serve.

What’s the biggest difference in her game?

“I guess just mental state,” Piper said. “I’ve been less nervous hitting my shots.”

Free State junior Andie Veeder placed fourth in singles, losing 9-7 in the third-place match to SMNW’s Michaela Crowe.

“We played a lot of tennis (Tuesday),” Dodd said, “but no matter how tired we are, we still have to come out and compete as hard as we can.”

Free State's Andie Veeder returns a serve against Shawnee Mission North's Caroline Basnight during a quad on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 at Free State High School.

Dodd, a three-time state qualifier in doubles, is the team’s lone senior, but said she’s used to her leadership role.

“I don’t know if it’s quite hit me yet that it’s my last year,” Dodd said. “But I’ve had four years of really good experiences here, and having a 21-2 record, I can’t really ask for anything better than that.”

The Firebirds will compete in the Emporia tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Free State Tournament

Wednesday at Free State

FSHS results

Kate Piper (2nd place): def. Newman, SMN, 8-1; def. Michaela Crowe, SMNW, 8-1; lost to Lily Oliver, SMNW, 6-2, 6-0.

Andie Veeder (4th place): def. Basnight, SMN, 8-0; lost to Lily Oliver, SMNW, 8-1; lost to Michaela Crowe, SMNW, 9-7.

Ali Dodd/Keegan VanPelt (1st place): def. Brown/Anipp, ONW, 8-1; def. Strohm/Schmidt, SMNW, 8-1; def. Gorman/Peard, FS, 6-0, 6-3.

Gabby Gorman/Anna Peard (2nd place): def. Sloan/Anstine, SMNW, 8-3; def. Kappleman/Hoffey, ONW, 8-6; lost to Dodd/Van Pelt, FS, 6-0, 6-3.