MONROE - Taylor Soddy, a two-time state qualifier at No. 1 singles, pitched an idea to Monroe tennis coach Brad Saugstad to switch to doubles this year.
Soddy, a senior, offered to play No. 1 doubles and he and the Cheesemakers got off to a strong start with a season-opening 6-1 win over Jefferson Thursday. Soddy teamed with senior Kevin Kohlstedt at No. 1 doubles and the Cheesemaker duo defeated Jefferson's Jimmy Nelson and Spencer O'Brien 6-1, 6-4.
"I looked at the returning singles players and I thought my odds of winning state were not great," Soddy said. "I could probably finish fourth or fifth at best. I looked at the doubles teams and the state champions were seniors last year. I thought if I got a good player we could make a run."
Soddy and Kohlstedt got off to slow starts in both sets. In the first set, they trailed 1-0 before rallying to win six straight games. In the second set, Soddy and Kohlstedt trailed 3-2 before coming back to seal the win.
"I think it just goes to show if things don't start out your way you just have to keep fighting," Soddy said.
Last season, Kohlstedt played No. 1 doubles with Cristian Noriega. With only three practices outside so far, Kohlstedt is confident that the two will develop a strong kinship on the court.
"I think Taylor is just a different style of player," Kohlstedt said. "It will take a little time to get adjusted. It shouldn't be too much adjustment."
Soddy and Kohlstedt forced Jefferson's top duo to use forehand shots.
"That is the way it ended up," Kohlstedt said. "I don't know if that was by design."
The Cheesemakers swept all three doubles matches. At No. 2 doubles, senior Josh Riese and Mark Jenson defeated Jefferson's Riley Feldschneider and Austin Tucker 6-4, 6-4. Monroe senior Vince Wartenweiler and senior Jared Nix at No. 3 doubles defeated Jefferson's Hervin Centeno and Arjun Karunakaran 7-5, 6-4.
Saugstad was pleased with the season-opening win.
"For only having three practices outside, we played really well," Saugstad said. "I was really happy with how we played. Taylor and Kevin looked pretty good, considering they just started playing together. Kevin got his confidence and was putting shots away at the net. Taylor was really good lobbing and serving. They are only going to get better with more practices and matches under their belt."
Monroe sophomore Kevin Noriega at No. 2 singles defeated Jefferson senior Jon Aumann 6-0, 6-3. Noriega is back at full strength after a back injury sidelined him for part of last season.
"I thought it went really well," Noriega said. "I felt it a little bit during basketball. Now it's 100 percent. It's way easier to play when your back doesn't hurt. I expect to be better than last year. There are a lot of distractions. Once I focused, I played really well."
Saugstad already sees a difference in Noriega on the court.
"Kevin played really strong," Saugstad said of Noriega. "He was ripping his strokes and doing a good job of serving."
At No. 3 singles, Monroe sophomore Matt Monahan defeated Ty Jay 6-3, 7-6 (3). Monahan pulled out the tiebreaker against Jay who went 20-3 last year. Fellow sophomore Jeremy Miller defeated Leo Reyes 6-2, 6-1. Senior Jess Hager at No. 1 singles lost to Jefferson's Danny Arndorhr 6-2, 6-2.
"Jess hit some nice shots," Saugstad said. "He just couldn't consistently get them in. Once it gets warmer, he will be out there on the court every day getting better."
Soddy, a senior, offered to play No. 1 doubles and he and the Cheesemakers got off to a strong start with a season-opening 6-1 win over Jefferson Thursday. Soddy teamed with senior Kevin Kohlstedt at No. 1 doubles and the Cheesemaker duo defeated Jefferson's Jimmy Nelson and Spencer O'Brien 6-1, 6-4.
"I looked at the returning singles players and I thought my odds of winning state were not great," Soddy said. "I could probably finish fourth or fifth at best. I looked at the doubles teams and the state champions were seniors last year. I thought if I got a good player we could make a run."
Soddy and Kohlstedt got off to slow starts in both sets. In the first set, they trailed 1-0 before rallying to win six straight games. In the second set, Soddy and Kohlstedt trailed 3-2 before coming back to seal the win.
"I think it just goes to show if things don't start out your way you just have to keep fighting," Soddy said.
Last season, Kohlstedt played No. 1 doubles with Cristian Noriega. With only three practices outside so far, Kohlstedt is confident that the two will develop a strong kinship on the court.
"I think Taylor is just a different style of player," Kohlstedt said. "It will take a little time to get adjusted. It shouldn't be too much adjustment."
Soddy and Kohlstedt forced Jefferson's top duo to use forehand shots.
"That is the way it ended up," Kohlstedt said. "I don't know if that was by design."
The Cheesemakers swept all three doubles matches. At No. 2 doubles, senior Josh Riese and Mark Jenson defeated Jefferson's Riley Feldschneider and Austin Tucker 6-4, 6-4. Monroe senior Vince Wartenweiler and senior Jared Nix at No. 3 doubles defeated Jefferson's Hervin Centeno and Arjun Karunakaran 7-5, 6-4.
Saugstad was pleased with the season-opening win.
"For only having three practices outside, we played really well," Saugstad said. "I was really happy with how we played. Taylor and Kevin looked pretty good, considering they just started playing together. Kevin got his confidence and was putting shots away at the net. Taylor was really good lobbing and serving. They are only going to get better with more practices and matches under their belt."
Monroe sophomore Kevin Noriega at No. 2 singles defeated Jefferson senior Jon Aumann 6-0, 6-3. Noriega is back at full strength after a back injury sidelined him for part of last season.
"I thought it went really well," Noriega said. "I felt it a little bit during basketball. Now it's 100 percent. It's way easier to play when your back doesn't hurt. I expect to be better than last year. There are a lot of distractions. Once I focused, I played really well."
Saugstad already sees a difference in Noriega on the court.
"Kevin played really strong," Saugstad said of Noriega. "He was ripping his strokes and doing a good job of serving."
At No. 3 singles, Monroe sophomore Matt Monahan defeated Ty Jay 6-3, 7-6 (3). Monahan pulled out the tiebreaker against Jay who went 20-3 last year. Fellow sophomore Jeremy Miller defeated Leo Reyes 6-2, 6-1. Senior Jess Hager at No. 1 singles lost to Jefferson's Danny Arndorhr 6-2, 6-2.
"Jess hit some nice shots," Saugstad said. "He just couldn't consistently get them in. Once it gets warmer, he will be out there on the court every day getting better."
