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Sierras Banks advances to VOL finals
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STOCKTON — Sierra High’s Claire Banks swept No. 3 Elizabeth Tolbert of rival Manteca 6-4, 6-0 in the semifinal round of Tuesday’s Valley Oak League Singles Tournament hosted by Weston Ranch.

That means she’ll get another crack at top-seeded Amie Ardis in the finals on Thursday, which coincides with the VOL Doubles Tournament.

Ardis beat the second-seeded Banks twice in regular-season dual matches. It will be the second consecutive final-round appearance for the Central Catholic player, who lost to then-teammate Payton Kelley, 6-4, 2-6, 0-6. To get to that point, Ardis, as the seventh seed, had to post a semifinal upset of No. 3 Annie Banks, Claire’s older sister.

The 2015 finalists weren’t challenged Tuesday.

After a first-round bye, Banks defeated No. 15 Vanessa Hamilton (East Union) 8-1 and swept No. 7 Koryn Menasco (Manteca) 6-1, 6-1 before her showdown with Tolbert.

Ardis dispatched No. 16 Kelly Bacon (Sierra) 8-1 and had to knock off two Central Catholic teammates — No. 9 Rosella Rangel (6-2, 6-1) and No. 4 Faith Masellis (6-1, 6-2) — to reach the finale.

Tolbert opted to forfeit the third-place match, and with it a ticket to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Individual Tournament. The top three singles and three doubles teams qualify for the Nov. 5-6 event held at Johnson Ranch Racquet Club in Roseville.