MADISON - The Monroe boys tennis team went 1-2 to open the season in the Madison Memorial Invitational Saturday.
Madison Memorial defeated Monroe in a dual match 6-1 and the Cheesemakers lost to Winona Cotter, Minn. 5-2. Monroe then beat Hartford 4-3.
"This was a great tournament for us to start the season with," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "None of our matches will have much impact on any of our end-of-the-year tournaments so I told the boys that winning wasn't as important as getting match experience against good quality competition."
The Cheesemakers dropped all first seven sets against the Spartans.
"I believe it was a combination of nerves and playing solid opponents that just made them look a step slow and forced us into some missed shots," Saugstad said.
The only match the Cheesemakers won against Memorial came from senior Zach Hendrickson at No. 3 singles. Hendrickson defeated Madison Memorial junior Jacob Padley in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. The Cheesemakers lost three of the four matches that went three sets.
"Zach's preference is to play singles, but last year he was forced into a doubles spot," Saugstad said. "He hit some nice low shots and showed a willingness to come to the net to get a nice win to start the season."
The Cheesemakers' No. 3 doubles team of Keyton Friske and Cole Oudinot lost a tight three-set match to Madison Memorial's Aaron Rosenblum and Iam Huang 6-2, 3-6, 10-6.
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of seniors Matt Monahan and Kevin Noriega lost to the Spartans' Doug Powell and Zeke Vredenbregt 6-0, 6-7 (6), 11-13. Monroe senior Jeremy Miller and sophomore Kody Althaus at No. 2 doubles lost to the Spartans' Shane Supple and Lorenzo Puglielli in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 10-5.
In the match against Winona Cotter, the Cheesemakers won two matches at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Monahan and Noriega at No. 1 doubles defeated Winona Cotter's Jake Renk and Brenna Schaffer 6-1, 6-3. At No. 2 doubles, the Cheesemakers' Miller and Althaus defeated Sang Hyuk Lee and Matthew Park 6-1, 6-2.
"Our No. 1 and 2 doubles teams brought home two wins and played very strong matches," Saugstad said. "Jeremy Miller and Kody Althaus at 2 doubles were moving well and hitting some nice volleys this match. Jeremy hasn't played much doubles since his freshman year, but Kody and him seemed to adjust to playing together."
Monroe senior David Shon at No. 1 singles lost a three set match to Ryan Ortega 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 and senior teammate Rhett Katzenberger at No. 4 singles lost a three-set match to Eric Cho 5-7, 6-1, 10-4. Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom at No. 2 singles lost a three-set match to Tim Demarais 6-3, 7-6 (11).
In the final match against Hartford, the Cheesemakers swept the top three singles matches. Shon at No. 1 singles defeated Owen Hansike at No. 1 singles 6-4, 6-0. Setterstrom at No. 2 singles for the Cheesemakers defeated Hartford's Ethan Niekes 6-1, 6-0 and Hendrickson at No. 3 singles beat Matthew Melscheimer 6-0, 7-5.
At No. 1 doubles, Monahan and Noriega won their second straight match defeating Hartford's Collin Brault and Andy Childs 6-4, 7-5. Katzenberger and junior Tanner Purdy at No. 4 doubles lost a three-set match to Carlos Movera and Logan Spitzer 6-2, 3-6, 10-4.
The Cheesemakers won just two out of nine tiebreakers and one of seven three-set matches in the tournament.
"We are going to have to work hard to finish strong in those close matches," Saugstad said. "Our doubles teams showed that they need more work on their net game and our singles players drove the ball deep into the court well, but are going to need to work on hitting better angles."
Madison Memorial defeated Monroe in a dual match 6-1 and the Cheesemakers lost to Winona Cotter, Minn. 5-2. Monroe then beat Hartford 4-3.
"This was a great tournament for us to start the season with," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "None of our matches will have much impact on any of our end-of-the-year tournaments so I told the boys that winning wasn't as important as getting match experience against good quality competition."
The Cheesemakers dropped all first seven sets against the Spartans.
"I believe it was a combination of nerves and playing solid opponents that just made them look a step slow and forced us into some missed shots," Saugstad said.
The only match the Cheesemakers won against Memorial came from senior Zach Hendrickson at No. 3 singles. Hendrickson defeated Madison Memorial junior Jacob Padley in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. The Cheesemakers lost three of the four matches that went three sets.
"Zach's preference is to play singles, but last year he was forced into a doubles spot," Saugstad said. "He hit some nice low shots and showed a willingness to come to the net to get a nice win to start the season."
The Cheesemakers' No. 3 doubles team of Keyton Friske and Cole Oudinot lost a tight three-set match to Madison Memorial's Aaron Rosenblum and Iam Huang 6-2, 3-6, 10-6.
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of seniors Matt Monahan and Kevin Noriega lost to the Spartans' Doug Powell and Zeke Vredenbregt 6-0, 6-7 (6), 11-13. Monroe senior Jeremy Miller and sophomore Kody Althaus at No. 2 doubles lost to the Spartans' Shane Supple and Lorenzo Puglielli in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 10-5.
In the match against Winona Cotter, the Cheesemakers won two matches at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Monahan and Noriega at No. 1 doubles defeated Winona Cotter's Jake Renk and Brenna Schaffer 6-1, 6-3. At No. 2 doubles, the Cheesemakers' Miller and Althaus defeated Sang Hyuk Lee and Matthew Park 6-1, 6-2.
"Our No. 1 and 2 doubles teams brought home two wins and played very strong matches," Saugstad said. "Jeremy Miller and Kody Althaus at 2 doubles were moving well and hitting some nice volleys this match. Jeremy hasn't played much doubles since his freshman year, but Kody and him seemed to adjust to playing together."
Monroe senior David Shon at No. 1 singles lost a three set match to Ryan Ortega 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 and senior teammate Rhett Katzenberger at No. 4 singles lost a three-set match to Eric Cho 5-7, 6-1, 10-4. Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom at No. 2 singles lost a three-set match to Tim Demarais 6-3, 7-6 (11).
In the final match against Hartford, the Cheesemakers swept the top three singles matches. Shon at No. 1 singles defeated Owen Hansike at No. 1 singles 6-4, 6-0. Setterstrom at No. 2 singles for the Cheesemakers defeated Hartford's Ethan Niekes 6-1, 6-0 and Hendrickson at No. 3 singles beat Matthew Melscheimer 6-0, 7-5.
At No. 1 doubles, Monahan and Noriega won their second straight match defeating Hartford's Collin Brault and Andy Childs 6-4, 7-5. Katzenberger and junior Tanner Purdy at No. 4 doubles lost a three-set match to Carlos Movera and Logan Spitzer 6-2, 3-6, 10-4.
The Cheesemakers won just two out of nine tiebreakers and one of seven three-set matches in the tournament.
"We are going to have to work hard to finish strong in those close matches," Saugstad said. "Our doubles teams showed that they need more work on their net game and our singles players drove the ball deep into the court well, but are going to need to work on hitting better angles."
