MONROE - The Monroe girls tennis team proved to be the class of doubles field after winning the Cheesemaker Doubles Invitational, Saturday.
Monroe won titles at four of the five flights en route to repeating as Cheesemaker Doubles champions by outdueling Baraboo, 28-14.
"They are competitive and want to win," Monroe coach Stephanie Miller said. "They had success last year and want to see it again. It always feels good when you double up the score of the second place team."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1A doubles team of junior Kristin McArdle and sophomore Ellie Shuda defeated Burlington in the championship match, 7-5, 7-6 (5).
McArdle and Shuda opened the invite with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Delaven-Darien. In the semifinal match, McArdle and Shuda blanked Beloit, 6-0, 6-0.
Miller knows the Cheesemakers are committed to succeeding. Winning tiebreakers is a focal point.
"We play a lot of tiebreakers in practice because it's quicker than a whole set," she said. "I think it helps playing tiebreakers."
At No. 1 doubles, Monroe senior Ashley Hermanson and junior Kelsey Erickson defeated Elkhorn's Kim Hanson and Kyla Price, 6-3, 6-4 to win the title.
Hermanson and Erickson opened the invite with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Stoughton's Breanna Valenza and Nicole Roloff. In the semifinals, Hermanson and Erickson defeated Baraboo's Hilary Bildsten and Kristen McReath, 6-2, 6-1 to get to the championship match.
Seniors Gwen Sutter and Emily Grossen defeated Lodi in the No. 3 doubles championship match, 6-0, 6-2. Sutter and Grossen escaped to the title match by defeating Elkhorn's Maggie Farley and Michelle Counsell in a grueling three-set semifinal, 4-6, 6-2, 10-3.
"Coming back from a first set loss is a tough thing to do," Miller said. "They maintained their composure and did what they needed to do."
Monroe's Kiera Berger and Lily Priewe, at No. 4 doubles, defeated Lodi in the title match, 6-0, 6-2.
Berger and Priewe advanced to the championship after defeating Stoughton, 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinals.
The Cheesemakers' senior No. 2 doubles tandem of Taylor Weis and McKenzie Bruce dropped the title match to Baraboo's Melissa Miller and Kayla Fuller, 6-3, 6-1.
Weis and Bruce opened the invite by breezing by Beloit 6-3, 6-0.
Weis and Bruce survived a semifinal match and defeated Elkhorn's Jackie Schulz and Emma Wargolt, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the championship match.
The advantage of the Cheesemaker Doubles Invite is that it gives top singles players the required three matches together and makes them eligible to play together in the subsectional if a coach elects.
Miller said that is why former tennis coach Jim Bartholf designed the tournament the way he did just in case he wanted to pair up his top two singles player in doubles in the postseason for a potential run at state.
Monroe won titles at four of the five flights en route to repeating as Cheesemaker Doubles champions by outdueling Baraboo, 28-14.
"They are competitive and want to win," Monroe coach Stephanie Miller said. "They had success last year and want to see it again. It always feels good when you double up the score of the second place team."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1A doubles team of junior Kristin McArdle and sophomore Ellie Shuda defeated Burlington in the championship match, 7-5, 7-6 (5).
McArdle and Shuda opened the invite with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Delaven-Darien. In the semifinal match, McArdle and Shuda blanked Beloit, 6-0, 6-0.
Miller knows the Cheesemakers are committed to succeeding. Winning tiebreakers is a focal point.
"We play a lot of tiebreakers in practice because it's quicker than a whole set," she said. "I think it helps playing tiebreakers."
At No. 1 doubles, Monroe senior Ashley Hermanson and junior Kelsey Erickson defeated Elkhorn's Kim Hanson and Kyla Price, 6-3, 6-4 to win the title.
Hermanson and Erickson opened the invite with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Stoughton's Breanna Valenza and Nicole Roloff. In the semifinals, Hermanson and Erickson defeated Baraboo's Hilary Bildsten and Kristen McReath, 6-2, 6-1 to get to the championship match.
Seniors Gwen Sutter and Emily Grossen defeated Lodi in the No. 3 doubles championship match, 6-0, 6-2. Sutter and Grossen escaped to the title match by defeating Elkhorn's Maggie Farley and Michelle Counsell in a grueling three-set semifinal, 4-6, 6-2, 10-3.
"Coming back from a first set loss is a tough thing to do," Miller said. "They maintained their composure and did what they needed to do."
Monroe's Kiera Berger and Lily Priewe, at No. 4 doubles, defeated Lodi in the title match, 6-0, 6-2.
Berger and Priewe advanced to the championship after defeating Stoughton, 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinals.
The Cheesemakers' senior No. 2 doubles tandem of Taylor Weis and McKenzie Bruce dropped the title match to Baraboo's Melissa Miller and Kayla Fuller, 6-3, 6-1.
Weis and Bruce opened the invite by breezing by Beloit 6-3, 6-0.
Weis and Bruce survived a semifinal match and defeated Elkhorn's Jackie Schulz and Emma Wargolt, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the championship match.
The advantage of the Cheesemaker Doubles Invite is that it gives top singles players the required three matches together and makes them eligible to play together in the subsectional if a coach elects.
Miller said that is why former tennis coach Jim Bartholf designed the tournament the way he did just in case he wanted to pair up his top two singles player in doubles in the postseason for a potential run at state.
