AUSTIN -- Franklin sophomore Kayla Casey battled her way into the finals of the UIL State Tennis Tournament on Monday.

The defending Class 2A girls singles champion lost the first set in her semifinal match to Maypearl's Tali Dollar, 7-5, then rallied to win the final two 6-3, 6-0 at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center. She'll meet Sunnyvale's Emily Lobnitz at 9 a.m. Tuesday for the title.

Casey advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Blanco's Kelsey Schwind.

Franklin has had at least one state tennis champion every year since 2005, when Austin Klores began a four-year reign in boys singles. Kayla's sister Kendra teamed with Jake Russ to win the mixed doubles championship a year ago.

The opening round erased any chance of a rematch from the 2009 final, where Casey defeated San Saba's Taylor Hibler. Hibler lost her quarterfinal match Monday to Lobnitz, 6-1, 6-2. Lobnitz completed her run to the championship match by cruising past Buna's Jordan Bates, 6-0, 6-0.

Centerville's 2A Region III championship doubles tandem of Daniel Kendall and Garrett Ward earned bronze medals with a quarterfinal victory, but lost to the Malakoff team of James King and Dylan Neal 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the semifinals.

The Tiger duo was bidding to win Centerville's first state title in tennis. In their quarterfinal match, Kendall and Ward dispatched Nick Baker and Daniel Taylor of Florence 6-0, 6-4.

The Centerville girls doubles team of Hannah World and Kelsey Lagrone lost a 6-4, 6-0 opening-round match to Melissa's Skylar Zadow and Jacqui Nickell.