By Bob McPhee,Staff Writer

PORTLAND – Lewiston’s Adam Wilding had his serve come up AWOL at the worst possible time on Saturday.

The Blue Devil senior, seeded No. 4, came up short and dropped a quarterfinal match to fifth-seeded Parker Swenson of North Yarmouth Academy, 6-2, 6-4 at the Racquet and Fitness Center.

Lewiston was well-represented with three singles players, including James Morin and Mike Sarrazin, who both were also ousted. On the girls side, Julia Bergeron reached the field of 32, before bowing out to No.5 Marcia Gilbride of Mt. Ararat.

Wilding fell behind early 3-0 in the initial set. After winning the next two games, he was unable to rally back against Swenson, who won the next four games.

“Swenson was dominant throughout the match,” Wilding said. “My serves were not (falling in) and I double faulted several times. You need to be able to serve the ball in order to win in tennis.”

Wilding trailed Swenson by one game three times in the second set. The Panther standout then broke a serve and held serve for the match.

Wilding was trying to become the first Lewiston boys’ player to reach the semifinals since Brian Bouchard who was a finalist in 1994.

The Blue Devil had been successful in winning against Jeremy Cliff of Hermon and James Little of Mount Desert Island. Wilding was forced to win a tie-breaker against Little, but quickly adjusted and breezed 6-0 in the second set.

“I would have liked to have played in Lewiston,” Wilding said. “I think I play better outside. But, we’ve played here a couple of times before, so I knew what the courts were like.” The semifinals and finals, for boys and girls draws, will be played on Monday at Bates College. Swenson will face defending state champion Eliot Potvin of Hampden Academy. Former champion Bryan Brown of Bangor and Garrett Currier of Cape Elizabeth are the other semifinalists.

Bergeron had her volley working, as several games went to deuce, including the final game which lasted 15 minutes. Gilbride won 6-3, 6-3.

“I thought I did well,” Bergeron said. “I would have liked have played at Bates because they have an excellent facility. (Today) I concentrated on (shot placement) and coming to the net. I really enjoyed playing singles.”

Gilbride, who reached the elite eight, was joined by teammates Jenn Charette and Katie Marstaller. It was the first time in school history that three Eagles’ female players had played in the state tournament.

“She’s a fighter,” Lewiston girls coach Anita Murphy said, referring to Bergeron. “Experience was the difference for the senior. Gilbride has been here before and is a good player. She makes her opponent feel uncomfortable.”

Sarrazin lost to No.7 John Aspen of Waynflete 6-1, 6-1. Levi Lucy of Fryeburg and Elyse Cole of Winthrop each won straight-set matches, but lost to seeded players. Morin split sets with Sam Hyland of Falmouth, but lost a super tie-breaker 10-7.

“Keith played well to battle back and force a tie breaker,” Lewiston coach Ron Chicoine said. “It all came down to a few points. Hyland was bigger and had a stronger serve.”