MADISON - The first day of the Badger Conference tennis tournament was a banner day for Monroe.
A host of Cheesemakers advancing to today's semifinal at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium including, junior Kristin McArdle at No. 1 singles, sophomore Ellie Shuda at No. 2 singles and sophomore Lily Priewe at No. 4 singles and all three doubles teams.
"It's the position we always hoped to be in and this year it came true," Monroe coach Stephanie Miller said.
Monroe (4-2) entered the conference tournament two points behind Madison Edgewood (6-0) and one behind Fort Atkinson (5-1). Monroe still has an outside shot at a co-conference championship. The Cheesemakers would have to win the Badger South tournament and have Fort Atkinson finish second ahead of Edgewood to force a three-way championship with the Crusaders and Blackhawks.
"We talked about individual success," Miller said. "If you have individual success, it comes to the team as well. Being in that competitive range has been a long-term goal of ours this season."
Fort Atkinson won the Badger South Conference title last year and snapped the Crusaders' run of three straight conference championships. Fort Atkinson has all four of its singles players seeded No. 1. The Blackhawks return Leah Dahl, who won a conference championship at No. 1 singles last year and Lexie Weigand, who won the title at No. 3 singles last year.
The Cheesemakers were counting on their doubles teams the first day of the tournament. Monroe seniors McKenzie Bruce and Taylor Weis survived a draining three set match and defeated Waunakee's Allie Taylor and Theresa Collins, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Bruce and Weis controlled the first set and had a 5-2 lead before the Warriors' No. 3 doubles duo won two consecutive games and made it interesting.
Taylor and Collins jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set before Bruce and Weis rallied before dropping a close second set. Waunakee won the first game of the third set and had a 3-2 lead before Bruce and Weis won four consecutive games to seal the match.
In the quarterfinals, Bruce and Weis defeated Fort Atkinson, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
"They played good, especially the last five games," Miller said of the match against Waunakee. "It's the best doubles they have played in a long time. They finally realized it was all or nothing."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Ashley Hermanson and junior Kelsey Erickson breezed into the semifinals after a 6-1, 6-4, win.
After a first round bye like the No. 1 doubles team, seniors Gwen Sutter and Emily Grossen at No. 2 doubles advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 7-5, win.
McArdle won her first round match over Oregon's Alyssa Reifert, 6-0, 6-0. McArdle then defeated Waunakee senior Brar Harpreet in straight sets in the quarterfinal, 6-2, 6-2. McArdle will face Dahl, who is the No. 1 seed in the semifinals today.
Shuda after a first round bye, defeated Waunakee sophomore Beth Paradisin in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-2, to punch her ticket to the semifinals.
Priewe at No. 4 singles like Shuda received a first round bye. She then beat Baraboo senior Lizzie Remry in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-1.
Monroe senior Kiera Berger at No. 3 singles couldn't pull off an upset as she lost in three sets to No. 4 seed Becca Kessler of Milton, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
A host of Cheesemakers advancing to today's semifinal at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium including, junior Kristin McArdle at No. 1 singles, sophomore Ellie Shuda at No. 2 singles and sophomore Lily Priewe at No. 4 singles and all three doubles teams.
"It's the position we always hoped to be in and this year it came true," Monroe coach Stephanie Miller said.
Monroe (4-2) entered the conference tournament two points behind Madison Edgewood (6-0) and one behind Fort Atkinson (5-1). Monroe still has an outside shot at a co-conference championship. The Cheesemakers would have to win the Badger South tournament and have Fort Atkinson finish second ahead of Edgewood to force a three-way championship with the Crusaders and Blackhawks.
"We talked about individual success," Miller said. "If you have individual success, it comes to the team as well. Being in that competitive range has been a long-term goal of ours this season."
Fort Atkinson won the Badger South Conference title last year and snapped the Crusaders' run of three straight conference championships. Fort Atkinson has all four of its singles players seeded No. 1. The Blackhawks return Leah Dahl, who won a conference championship at No. 1 singles last year and Lexie Weigand, who won the title at No. 3 singles last year.
The Cheesemakers were counting on their doubles teams the first day of the tournament. Monroe seniors McKenzie Bruce and Taylor Weis survived a draining three set match and defeated Waunakee's Allie Taylor and Theresa Collins, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Bruce and Weis controlled the first set and had a 5-2 lead before the Warriors' No. 3 doubles duo won two consecutive games and made it interesting.
Taylor and Collins jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set before Bruce and Weis rallied before dropping a close second set. Waunakee won the first game of the third set and had a 3-2 lead before Bruce and Weis won four consecutive games to seal the match.
In the quarterfinals, Bruce and Weis defeated Fort Atkinson, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
"They played good, especially the last five games," Miller said of the match against Waunakee. "It's the best doubles they have played in a long time. They finally realized it was all or nothing."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Ashley Hermanson and junior Kelsey Erickson breezed into the semifinals after a 6-1, 6-4, win.
After a first round bye like the No. 1 doubles team, seniors Gwen Sutter and Emily Grossen at No. 2 doubles advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 7-5, win.
McArdle won her first round match over Oregon's Alyssa Reifert, 6-0, 6-0. McArdle then defeated Waunakee senior Brar Harpreet in straight sets in the quarterfinal, 6-2, 6-2. McArdle will face Dahl, who is the No. 1 seed in the semifinals today.
Shuda after a first round bye, defeated Waunakee sophomore Beth Paradisin in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-2, to punch her ticket to the semifinals.
Priewe at No. 4 singles like Shuda received a first round bye. She then beat Baraboo senior Lizzie Remry in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-1.
Monroe senior Kiera Berger at No. 3 singles couldn't pull off an upset as she lost in three sets to No. 4 seed Becca Kessler of Milton, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
