MONROE - Monroe's No. 1 doubles team of senior Hallie Signer and sophomore Jensen Christensen were not aware that if they beat Oregon in the championship match it would clinch the Monroe Doubles Invitational team title for the Cheesemakers on Wednesday.
Signer and Christensen knocked off Oregon's Sophia Choles and Ashley Johnson 7-6 (3), 6-1. The win gave the Cheesemakers duo the individual title and the team doubles championship with a 3-2 win over the Panthers in the doubles dual.
Monroe had three doubles teams capture championships. The other doubles teams that went 3-0 to win titles were the No. 2 doubles team of seniors Parris Bunker and Kiara Miller and the No. 4 doubles team of senior Skye Allen and sophomore Emma Towne.
"We didn't know," Christensen said of their match being the difference-maker for the Cheesemakers en route to the title. "We had to play hard no matter what the score was."
Signer said the duo still had to play their best. That was the case when the first set went to a tiebreaker and Signer and Christensen took charge of it, winning 7-3. Signer and Christensen are 3-1 in tiebreakers this year. The Cheesemakers as a team are 14-6 in tiebreakers.
"It's a sign of a veteran team that is experienced," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "When it gets close they rise to the occasion. I will take that percentage (tiebreaker wins of 70 percent as a team) the rest of the season. Usually, I would hope for 50-50."
The Cheesemakers won all of the team matches they played. Monroe defeated Baraboo 5-0 and knocked off Delavan-Darien 5-0. Signer and Christensen defeated Baraboo's Sarah Anderson and Lizzie Showers 7-5, 6-0. The Cheesemakers' duo breezed by Delavan-Darien's Angeles Gomez and Ybeth Gloria 6-0, 6-0.
At No. 2 doubles, Bunker and Miller knocked off Baraboo's Lexi Johnson and Rachel Walter 6-3, 6-1. The senior duo defeated Delavan-Darien's Jessica Lawson and Angel Tazelaar 6-2, 6-1. In the title match, Bunker and Miller beat Oregon's Kailey O'Brien and Addie O'Brien 6-1, 6-3.
After losing their first three matches this season, Bunker and Miller have now won nine straight matches.
"In their first match at the Waukesha tournament, they started playing really well with their volleys and it just clicked," Saugstad said of Bunker and Miller in a tournament last week. "Their net play just really improved, and they got on a roll. Their confidence has just soared. They have the ability, and they are playing great."
Allen and Towne at No. 4 doubles for the Cheesemakers topped Baraboo's Abby Gibbs and Claire Obois 6-1, 7-5. The Cheesemakers' tandem then cruised past Delavan-Darien's Madison Stone and Litzy Andrade 6-1, 6-0. In the title match, Allen and Towne defeated Oregon's Rachel DePuydt and Gianna Schultz 6-2, 6-0.
"It was a confidence booster for them," Saugstad said. "Doubles is a lot different than singles. It gives them a chance to practice some shots they usually don't get to take in singles."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1A doubles team of senior Maggie Setterstrom and sophomore Grace Tostrud, Monroe's top two singles players, took second. The duo rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Baraboo's Tate Bates and Shani King. Setterstrom and Tostrud then beat Delavan-Darien's Paulina Cruz and Laura Farley 6-4, 6-0. In the title match, Oregon's Julia Gerhards and Isabelle Krier defeated Setterstrom and Tostrud 6-2, 6-4.
"I thought it would be a good opportunity for my net game," Setterstrom said. "It was fun having a partner like Grace to rely on and play with."
Tostrud said the Oregon duo hit a lot harder in the championship match than what she and Setterstrom are used to playing against this season.
"We had to focus on being able to hit at the net and being just focused overall," Tostrud said.
Tostrud enjoyed the departure from playing singles with the invite's doubles setup.
"I like playing doubles because it's a whole different game," Tostrud said. "You have to play more at the net. I really like being up at the net so I enjoyed it."
For Setterstrom and Tostrud, who are the Cheesemakers' top two singles players, Saugstad looked at the doubles invite as an opportunity to expand and build on their game.
"For Maggie and Grace they like coming to the net a lot as singles players," he said. "I viewed this as really a practice for working on their volleys and putting the ball away in a lower pressure situation. Overall, it's about the experience before we get into conference. Maggie and Grace hopefully will improve as players from today's experience."
Monroe's No. 3 doubles team of senior Jess Lucas and junior Becky Thoman went 1-2 in the invite. Baraboo's Kim Jacome and Elena Holloway defeated Lucas and Thoman 6-3, 6-3. The Monroe tandem bounced back to beat Delavan-Darien's Jenna McKinney and Melissa Doloir 6-1, 6-1. Oregon's Katie Reisdorf and Anna Donovan beat Lucas and Thoman in the final match 6-4, 6-2.
Signer and Christensen knocked off Oregon's Sophia Choles and Ashley Johnson 7-6 (3), 6-1. The win gave the Cheesemakers duo the individual title and the team doubles championship with a 3-2 win over the Panthers in the doubles dual.
Monroe had three doubles teams capture championships. The other doubles teams that went 3-0 to win titles were the No. 2 doubles team of seniors Parris Bunker and Kiara Miller and the No. 4 doubles team of senior Skye Allen and sophomore Emma Towne.
"We didn't know," Christensen said of their match being the difference-maker for the Cheesemakers en route to the title. "We had to play hard no matter what the score was."
Signer said the duo still had to play their best. That was the case when the first set went to a tiebreaker and Signer and Christensen took charge of it, winning 7-3. Signer and Christensen are 3-1 in tiebreakers this year. The Cheesemakers as a team are 14-6 in tiebreakers.
"It's a sign of a veteran team that is experienced," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "When it gets close they rise to the occasion. I will take that percentage (tiebreaker wins of 70 percent as a team) the rest of the season. Usually, I would hope for 50-50."
The Cheesemakers won all of the team matches they played. Monroe defeated Baraboo 5-0 and knocked off Delavan-Darien 5-0. Signer and Christensen defeated Baraboo's Sarah Anderson and Lizzie Showers 7-5, 6-0. The Cheesemakers' duo breezed by Delavan-Darien's Angeles Gomez and Ybeth Gloria 6-0, 6-0.
At No. 2 doubles, Bunker and Miller knocked off Baraboo's Lexi Johnson and Rachel Walter 6-3, 6-1. The senior duo defeated Delavan-Darien's Jessica Lawson and Angel Tazelaar 6-2, 6-1. In the title match, Bunker and Miller beat Oregon's Kailey O'Brien and Addie O'Brien 6-1, 6-3.
After losing their first three matches this season, Bunker and Miller have now won nine straight matches.
"In their first match at the Waukesha tournament, they started playing really well with their volleys and it just clicked," Saugstad said of Bunker and Miller in a tournament last week. "Their net play just really improved, and they got on a roll. Their confidence has just soared. They have the ability, and they are playing great."
Allen and Towne at No. 4 doubles for the Cheesemakers topped Baraboo's Abby Gibbs and Claire Obois 6-1, 7-5. The Cheesemakers' tandem then cruised past Delavan-Darien's Madison Stone and Litzy Andrade 6-1, 6-0. In the title match, Allen and Towne defeated Oregon's Rachel DePuydt and Gianna Schultz 6-2, 6-0.
"It was a confidence booster for them," Saugstad said. "Doubles is a lot different than singles. It gives them a chance to practice some shots they usually don't get to take in singles."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1A doubles team of senior Maggie Setterstrom and sophomore Grace Tostrud, Monroe's top two singles players, took second. The duo rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Baraboo's Tate Bates and Shani King. Setterstrom and Tostrud then beat Delavan-Darien's Paulina Cruz and Laura Farley 6-4, 6-0. In the title match, Oregon's Julia Gerhards and Isabelle Krier defeated Setterstrom and Tostrud 6-2, 6-4.
"I thought it would be a good opportunity for my net game," Setterstrom said. "It was fun having a partner like Grace to rely on and play with."
Tostrud said the Oregon duo hit a lot harder in the championship match than what she and Setterstrom are used to playing against this season.
"We had to focus on being able to hit at the net and being just focused overall," Tostrud said.
Tostrud enjoyed the departure from playing singles with the invite's doubles setup.
"I like playing doubles because it's a whole different game," Tostrud said. "You have to play more at the net. I really like being up at the net so I enjoyed it."
For Setterstrom and Tostrud, who are the Cheesemakers' top two singles players, Saugstad looked at the doubles invite as an opportunity to expand and build on their game.
"For Maggie and Grace they like coming to the net a lot as singles players," he said. "I viewed this as really a practice for working on their volleys and putting the ball away in a lower pressure situation. Overall, it's about the experience before we get into conference. Maggie and Grace hopefully will improve as players from today's experience."
Monroe's No. 3 doubles team of senior Jess Lucas and junior Becky Thoman went 1-2 in the invite. Baraboo's Kim Jacome and Elena Holloway defeated Lucas and Thoman 6-3, 6-3. The Monroe tandem bounced back to beat Delavan-Darien's Jenna McKinney and Melissa Doloir 6-1, 6-1. Oregon's Katie Reisdorf and Anna Donovan beat Lucas and Thoman in the final match 6-4, 6-2.
