MONROE - Madison Edgewood has been the king of boys tennis in the Badger South Conference since Verona left the league.
Edgewood has won five straight conference championships and the Cheesemakers faced a test dropping their first conference dual match 6-1 to the Crusaders on Tuesday.
"I figured this would show the boys where we are at quickly," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We wanted to make the matches last one-and-a-half to two hours or as long as we could. We wanted to compete and make them work and we did at some positions. Edgewood hits with a lot of spin and pace, and it helps get us ready for the season."
With the loss, Monroe drops to 0-3, 0-1 Badger South. The lone win for the Cheesemakers came from freshman Silas Setterstrom at No. 4 singles who defeated Madison Edgewood's Andrew Fucht in three sets 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. It's the first win for Setterstrom this season.
"You could see Silas' confidence building as the match went on," Saugstad said. "Silas was consistent from the baseline like he usually is, but his net game won the match tonight."
Setterstrom trailed 5-4 in both the second and third sets and came back to win three straight games to pull off the comeback win.
"That takes a lot of mental toughness especially for a freshman looking to win his first match in high school," Saugstad said.
Edgewood freshman Cecil Lingard at No. 1 singles defeated Monroe junior David Shon 6-2, 6-1. At No. 2 singles, Edgewood's Billy O'Brien beat Monroe junior Matt Monahan 6-1, 6-0. Edgewood sophomore Daniel Garlock at No. 3 singles knocked off Monroe junior Jeremy Miller 6-4, 6-3.
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Mark Jenson and junior Kevin Noriega lost to the Crusaders' Charlie Kirsch and Thomas Thelen 6-0, 6-1. At No. 2 doubles, Monroe senior Ellyott Baertschi and freshman Kody Althaus lost in three sets to the Crusaders' Michael Keller and Patrick Croake 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Edgewood's Michael Phelan and Charlie Weitz defeated Monroe juniors Zach Hendrickson and Keyton Friske 6-2, 6-1.
"Ellyott Baertschi and Kody Althaus were another highlight for us tonight, but they couldn't pull out the victory," Saugstad said.
After losing the first three games of the first set, the Cheesemakers' junior duo bounced back before dropping the first set 6-3. Baertschi and Althaus won two straight games to win the second set.
"Ellyott and Kody couldn't keep it going in the third set, but we saw a lot of positives from them tonight," he said.
Edgewood has won five straight conference championships and the Cheesemakers faced a test dropping their first conference dual match 6-1 to the Crusaders on Tuesday.
"I figured this would show the boys where we are at quickly," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We wanted to make the matches last one-and-a-half to two hours or as long as we could. We wanted to compete and make them work and we did at some positions. Edgewood hits with a lot of spin and pace, and it helps get us ready for the season."
With the loss, Monroe drops to 0-3, 0-1 Badger South. The lone win for the Cheesemakers came from freshman Silas Setterstrom at No. 4 singles who defeated Madison Edgewood's Andrew Fucht in three sets 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. It's the first win for Setterstrom this season.
"You could see Silas' confidence building as the match went on," Saugstad said. "Silas was consistent from the baseline like he usually is, but his net game won the match tonight."
Setterstrom trailed 5-4 in both the second and third sets and came back to win three straight games to pull off the comeback win.
"That takes a lot of mental toughness especially for a freshman looking to win his first match in high school," Saugstad said.
Edgewood freshman Cecil Lingard at No. 1 singles defeated Monroe junior David Shon 6-2, 6-1. At No. 2 singles, Edgewood's Billy O'Brien beat Monroe junior Matt Monahan 6-1, 6-0. Edgewood sophomore Daniel Garlock at No. 3 singles knocked off Monroe junior Jeremy Miller 6-4, 6-3.
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Mark Jenson and junior Kevin Noriega lost to the Crusaders' Charlie Kirsch and Thomas Thelen 6-0, 6-1. At No. 2 doubles, Monroe senior Ellyott Baertschi and freshman Kody Althaus lost in three sets to the Crusaders' Michael Keller and Patrick Croake 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Edgewood's Michael Phelan and Charlie Weitz defeated Monroe juniors Zach Hendrickson and Keyton Friske 6-2, 6-1.
"Ellyott Baertschi and Kody Althaus were another highlight for us tonight, but they couldn't pull out the victory," Saugstad said.
After losing the first three games of the first set, the Cheesemakers' junior duo bounced back before dropping the first set 6-3. Baertschi and Althaus won two straight games to win the second set.
"Ellyott and Kody couldn't keep it going in the third set, but we saw a lot of positives from them tonight," he said.
