MONROE - Ellie Grossen and Chandra McGuire put in a lot of time swinging their bats playing softball during the summer. Now, with the tennis season in full swing, they are working to get back to form with rackets in their hands.
The senior duo, who were WIAA Division 2 state qualifiers at No. 1 doubles last year, completed a strong start to the season winning a championship at the Cheesemakers Doubles Invitational Saturday, Aug. 24 at Recreation Park. Grossen and McGuire defeated Stoughton's No. 1 team 6-1, 6-3.
"We should have played more tennis over the summer," Grossen said. "We are just getting out of our softball swings and into our tennis swings. We are just a little rusty."
The Cheesemakers also got a championship from juniors Paige Prien and Erin Gellings at No. 2 doubles and Eva Priewe and Katie Demianiuk at No. 4 doubles. However, Baraboo clipped the Cheesemakers 22-20 for the doubles team championship.
"Usually when you win three doubles flights, you expect to win," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "It was a little disappointing. Baraboo was a little more consistent at the other flights. These early tournaments are for the girls to get ready for the end of the season."
Grossen and McGuire (4-0) had no problems in cruising to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sauk Prairie's Georgia Breunig and Laura Soter. In the semifinals, they defeated Elkhorn's Sam Price and Erika Sessing 6-4, 6-1.
"One of our goals is to go undefeated," McGuire said. "It's definitely our goal to always win every match and do our best."
After defeating Elkhorn's top doubles tandem, Grossen discussed the match with an eye down the road.
"We needed to win as many games as we could so we can work on as many things as we could," Grossen said. "We need to get all of our serves in and be aggressive and confident in our shots."
Saugstad said the great part for Grossen and McGuire is they won the championship despite their shots not being to the same level as they were last year.
"They still have room to improve," Saugstad said.
At No. 2 doubles, Prien and Gellings for the Cheesemakers opened the tournament by defeating Elkhorn 6-2, 6-0. They then breezed by Sauk Prairie's Emma Liverseed and Katie Veith 6-1, 6-2. In the title match, Prien and Gellings defeated Baraboo's Haley Brooks and Gabby Marx in three sets 4-6, 6-4, 10-2.
"They played much better than they did at Reedsburg," Saugstad said of Prien and Gellings. "They were hitting crisp shots and putting the ball away well at the net. They had a tough championship match against Baraboo. After losing the first set, the girls realized they were hitting too many balls into the net and were able to make the adjustment to take the second set. Paige and Erin jumped out quickly in the third set tiebreaker and cruised to the victory."
Priewe and Demianiuk at No. 4 doubles won all four of their round-robin matches to win the title. The sophomore duo, which usually play singles, defeated Sauk Prairie's team 6-4, 7-5 and then beat Baraboo 6-1, 7-5. They cruised past Delavan Darien 6-0, 6-0 and defeated Stoughton's No. 4 doubles team 6-1, 7-5.
"Katie Demianiuk and Eva Priewe really impressed me as a doubles team," Saugstad said. "These girls are usually singles players, but moved well and knew exactly what they were doing in doubles. In those four matches, they had four tight sets that were loaded with pressure points, but it seemed like they won every important point."
The Cheesemakers' No. 3 doubles team of Alisa Fager and Amber Jenson took fourth place. Fager and Jenson opened the tournament by defeating Sauk Prairie's Naomi Gallivan and Natalie Kessenich 6-2, 6-2. They then lost to Elkhorn 6-2, 6-3 and lost a third place match to Stoughton 6-3, 6-3. Monroe senior Allie Coplien and junior Chelsea Miller took sixth place at No. 1A doubles.
Monroe will play in a quad against Baraboo, Oregon and Portage at 9 a.m. today in Baraboo.
"We will have another chance to get the better of Baraboo this time," Saugstad said. "I'm going to try out some different players at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles so that way by next Tuesday against Edgewood in our first conference match, our lineup will be set for the rest of the year."
The senior duo, who were WIAA Division 2 state qualifiers at No. 1 doubles last year, completed a strong start to the season winning a championship at the Cheesemakers Doubles Invitational Saturday, Aug. 24 at Recreation Park. Grossen and McGuire defeated Stoughton's No. 1 team 6-1, 6-3.
"We should have played more tennis over the summer," Grossen said. "We are just getting out of our softball swings and into our tennis swings. We are just a little rusty."
The Cheesemakers also got a championship from juniors Paige Prien and Erin Gellings at No. 2 doubles and Eva Priewe and Katie Demianiuk at No. 4 doubles. However, Baraboo clipped the Cheesemakers 22-20 for the doubles team championship.
"Usually when you win three doubles flights, you expect to win," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "It was a little disappointing. Baraboo was a little more consistent at the other flights. These early tournaments are for the girls to get ready for the end of the season."
Grossen and McGuire (4-0) had no problems in cruising to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sauk Prairie's Georgia Breunig and Laura Soter. In the semifinals, they defeated Elkhorn's Sam Price and Erika Sessing 6-4, 6-1.
"One of our goals is to go undefeated," McGuire said. "It's definitely our goal to always win every match and do our best."
After defeating Elkhorn's top doubles tandem, Grossen discussed the match with an eye down the road.
"We needed to win as many games as we could so we can work on as many things as we could," Grossen said. "We need to get all of our serves in and be aggressive and confident in our shots."
Saugstad said the great part for Grossen and McGuire is they won the championship despite their shots not being to the same level as they were last year.
"They still have room to improve," Saugstad said.
At No. 2 doubles, Prien and Gellings for the Cheesemakers opened the tournament by defeating Elkhorn 6-2, 6-0. They then breezed by Sauk Prairie's Emma Liverseed and Katie Veith 6-1, 6-2. In the title match, Prien and Gellings defeated Baraboo's Haley Brooks and Gabby Marx in three sets 4-6, 6-4, 10-2.
"They played much better than they did at Reedsburg," Saugstad said of Prien and Gellings. "They were hitting crisp shots and putting the ball away well at the net. They had a tough championship match against Baraboo. After losing the first set, the girls realized they were hitting too many balls into the net and were able to make the adjustment to take the second set. Paige and Erin jumped out quickly in the third set tiebreaker and cruised to the victory."
Priewe and Demianiuk at No. 4 doubles won all four of their round-robin matches to win the title. The sophomore duo, which usually play singles, defeated Sauk Prairie's team 6-4, 7-5 and then beat Baraboo 6-1, 7-5. They cruised past Delavan Darien 6-0, 6-0 and defeated Stoughton's No. 4 doubles team 6-1, 7-5.
"Katie Demianiuk and Eva Priewe really impressed me as a doubles team," Saugstad said. "These girls are usually singles players, but moved well and knew exactly what they were doing in doubles. In those four matches, they had four tight sets that were loaded with pressure points, but it seemed like they won every important point."
The Cheesemakers' No. 3 doubles team of Alisa Fager and Amber Jenson took fourth place. Fager and Jenson opened the tournament by defeating Sauk Prairie's Naomi Gallivan and Natalie Kessenich 6-2, 6-2. They then lost to Elkhorn 6-2, 6-3 and lost a third place match to Stoughton 6-3, 6-3. Monroe senior Allie Coplien and junior Chelsea Miller took sixth place at No. 1A doubles.
Monroe will play in a quad against Baraboo, Oregon and Portage at 9 a.m. today in Baraboo.
"We will have another chance to get the better of Baraboo this time," Saugstad said. "I'm going to try out some different players at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles so that way by next Tuesday against Edgewood in our first conference match, our lineup will be set for the rest of the year."
