BETHLEHEM - Mallory Conner knows she is a contender at this year’s District 11 tennis tournament.

Her seed and track record show that.

On Monday, Conner showcased the skill and strength that have put the Northwestern sophomore in the mix among the best in the Class 2A field at Lehigh University’s Ulrich Tennis Courts.

Conner advanced to the semifinals at the District 11 singles tournament for the second straight year, doing so with the poise of a player prepared to shine on this stage.

After breezing to a 6-0, 6-0 first-round victory over Moravian Academy’s Penelope Blomfield, Conner found herself trailing 3-2 in the first set during her quarterfinal match.

She didn’t flinch, storming back to take the first set 6-3 before dispatching No. 6 seed Laura Li of Moravian Academy with a 6-0 rout in the second set.

“Usually when I’m playing in tournaments, how I see myself is, ‘I can outlast whoever I’m playing,’” said Conner. “So whether that be, they take a break, and I have to break back, but just really being able to come back and keep my focus. Like my coach said right after I lost those two (games), ‘Play the match to win, not to not lose,’ which is kind of what I was doing. I was forcing myself.

“But I got a lot more comfortable, went for more shots, and it ended up helping me win the match.”

Conner led the quarterfinal match 2-1 in the first set before Li took the next two games after going up 40-30 in each.

Conner’s coach, Brian Bleam, wanted her to go on the offensive.

“There’s a big difference when you’re playing,” Bleam said of the mentality he wanted to see. “There’s a huge difference. A lot of times when you’re playing, you’re hesitant, you’re passive and you’re playing defense.

“Her strong game is when she gets aggressive and attacks. And that’s what I told her. And she didn’t lose a game after that.”

Conner settled in and hit her stride to take control of the match.

“Some players have an extra gear when they get down,” said Bleam. “They don’t hit it until they get down in a set, and then it just kind of motivates them and elevates their game. It’s like she has an extra gear, and champions need that.”

Conner - who also plays basketball and participates in track and field for the Tigers - makes sure she stays busy with tennis, too.

It’s a labor of love, especially since Northwestern doesn’t have a tennis team.

“In the summer, I went over to Northwood (Racquet & Fitness Club) like four days a week straight for three hours in the afternoon,” said Conner. “Friday would probably be usually a lesson or just resting to get ready for my tournament on the weekend, and then I’d be at Northwood again on Sunday, if I didn’t win my tournament and get there on Sunday.

“Coming up to here, Monday I actually help coach, and then I get a lesson after. So then Friday’s usually my chill day. But I have lessons three times a week at least with coach Bleam, and then I’m over at Northwood for two days. So, a lot of tennis.”

Conner first started playing tennis around five years old and began to get involved in tournaments around the age of nine.

But she always played up in her age category. When she could still play 14-under tournaments, Conner was playing 18-under events.

“I think just hitting more. I feel like as the years go on, I get more and more comfortable with my shots,” said Conner. “And you need to have confidence, because if not, you’ll force yourself. But definitely the slice; my serve’s always been improving, it’s always something I want to work on, slice-serve I try to use a lot, especially when they kind of give you the side.

“But really my slice. In the second match, it wasn’t as low as I would have liked it to be. But it worked out good enough.”

Outstanding Olympian

Jim Thorpe’s Ashlynn Miller suffered a 6-0, 6-1 setback to No. 2 seed Madelyn Groff of Allentown Central Catholic in the first round.

Miller has made tremendous strides as the team’s No. 1 singles player this season, and been a leader on and off the court.

“I played a lot of really good competition, it was definitely a change for me,” said Miller. “I played third singles last year, had a really good season. Coming into this year, I had a lot of new competition.”

Miller has grown in her role, and it showed Monday against Groff.

“I do take some strategies from my third singles game that I think have aided me at No. 1 singles, like consistency and trying to keep the ball in all the time,” said Miller. “I’m proud of being able to put more behind my shot, I added more power than I’ve ever had, which obviously my coach (Sam Lux), he helps me with everything.”

Lux put that praise back on Miller for the progress she has made.

“To go from No. 3 singles last year to No. 1, and No. 2 doubles the year before that, and not really playing at all her freshman year, her progress over four years has been awesome to see,” said Lux.

“It’s amazing to see, and that’s a testament to her. You don’t get from not playing at all to being one of the top 16 kids in 2A without putting in a lot of hard work. It’s really just a big testament to her and the effort she put in to be here. And I thought she should be really proud of herself. She put together a really great performance today. I think the match was even closer than the score would indicate. There were multiple chances where she had an opportunity to win the game, and kind of couldn’t close it. But credit to (Groff), she played really well and deserved to win today.”

UP NEXT

... Conner faced Groff today in the semifinals, which began at 11 a.m. at Freedom High School. The finals weren’t scheduled to begin before 12:30 p.m.

LAST YEAR

... In last year’s tournament, Conner defeated Li 6-2, 6-2 in the first round. Conner’s tournament ended with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Bethlehem Catholic’s Cara Magliochetti in the semis.