For the second straight year, the Prior Lake boys tennis team was stopped short of the finals.

Tenth-ranked Orono handed the Lakers a 6-1 loss in the Section 2AA semifinals May 23 at Gustavus Aldolphus College in St. Peter, sweeping all four singles matches.

Prior Lake finished the team portion of its season with a 10-8 overall mark, the first time it’s hit double-digit wins since 1994.

Last year, the Lakers enjoyed their first winning season since 2008 finishing with a 9-6 mark. When PJ Priest took over Prior Lake’s program at the start of the 2011 season, it had just one winning season since 1994. It had been held to three or fewer wins eight times since 2000.

So there’s been plenty of progress made for the Lakers and with just three seniors -Michael Heile, Sam Albus and Nathan Lindberg – expect Prior Lake to continue the upward trend again next spring.

In the loss to Orono, the Lakers’ one win came at No. 1 doubles when sophomores Max Hall and Jaydon Olson won in straight sets (6-1, 6-1).

Prior Lake fell 7-0 to Shakopee in the section semifinals last year.

This year’s Section 2AA individual play for the south sub-section starts May 27 with the semifinals and title matches May 30. Both rounds are in St. Peter.