LEWISTON – With a new game and a new plan of attack, Erin Moakler is hoping her third trip to the Maine State Girls Singles Championships semifinals will last longer than the previous two.

The Greater Houlton Christian Academy junior will take on fellow Eastern Maine representative and 2001 runnerup Laura Stein from Camden Hills in Thursday’s tennis semifinal round at Waynflete High School in Portland as both served and volleyed their way through the Round of 40 for a second straight year.

Moakler dropped just three games while winning 36 in her three matches while Stein, who is only a sophomore, advanced again with six losses in 42 games.

Monday was a long day for both players as action began around 8:15 a.m. and didn’t finish until Moakler knocked off unseeded junior Tracy Nale of Waterville around 7 p.m. and Stein dispatched No. 7 seed Amy Sarrazin of Lewiston just before 8 p.m. at the James G. Wallach Tennis Center on the Bates College campus.

“My freshman year, I was just happy to be playing here, but last year I wanted to win, so I’m hoping this is the year for me,” said Moakler, who played during overcast and then sunny skies before her final match with the lights on as sunset began its approach.

The other semifinal will match top seed and defending champ Kelly Graham of Kennebunk against fourth seed Elizabeth Currie of Waynflete, who Stein beat in the semis last year. Graham lost just one game the entire day while Currie had to win in a three-set quarterfinal match after dropping her first set 4-6 to advance into the semis.

Moakler won’t have much time to rest after her long day as she’s due to play in a softball doubleheader for GHCA Tuesday. The dual athlete plays and practices softball regularly in addition to a tennis regimen that includes three to four days of practice per week.

“I used to stay baseline all the time but now when I hit a really deep shot I’ll try and come to the net. Also, my serve is a lot better. It’s a lot harder and there’s more spin on my second serve,” Moakler said.

Stein, who also has some unfinished business to take care of, also feels her overall game is much improved.

“I’ve developed more power and placement with my strokes, which allows me to set up points a little better and get to the net, which I like to do,” Stein explained.

The diminutive Stein’s serve-and-volley attack worked well as she was able to both slug it out and wear opponents down from the baseline as well as attacking the net and frustrating other players with her drop and passing shots.

“I lost to Kelly last year in the final, so I’ve really been working on improving myself so I can get back and win it this time around,” Stein said.

Moakler and Stein have never met on the court. Thursday’s match will be a contrast in styles as Stein likes long rallies to wear people down while the much taller Moakler likes to utilize passing shots and her power game.

“I’m looking forward to playing her. I think it’ll be a great match. It’s just too bad we can’t play in the final instead,” said Moakler.

It was Nale who notched the big upset early on as she won her prelim match 6-1, 6-0 and then followed that with a straight-set victory over sixth-seeded Robin Sewall of Orono.