MONROE - Despite heavy winds and rain earlier in the day, Monona Grove still came to town for an early season battle with the Cheesemakers.
Bad news for the Silver Eagles.
Monroe won two of four singles matches in dominating fashion and swept the doubles matches - including the top two doubles teams churning out grinder wins.
"Overall, this was our best match of the season," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We were hitting and serving better, and played with a lot of energy. This was encouraging to see. Now we need to build on it."
The Cheesemakers' top doubles combo of Garrett Tschanz and Carson Root defeated Michael Wanta and Mario Testolin 6-4, 6-4.
"Carson and Garrett did pretty well in their first big test of the season," Saugstad said. "Their opponents were the No. 2 seed in the conference least year at 1-doubles. Carson and Garrett served big and were able to break serve enough to win."
The match wasn't without its questions. Both sides traded words on several questionable calls and Tschanz and Root rallied from a 3-4 deficit in the second set.
"We had to dig ourselves out of hole in the second set. We just went to work and got it done," Tschanz said.
Root, last year's No. 1 singles player, was paired with Tschanz with the hope that the duo can rip through the conference and have a legitimate shot at a state title run.
"It's great playing with Carson. We work really well together and we've known each other for so many years. We've played together every single summer and winter - it doesn't matter," Tschanz said of his chemistry with Root.
Monroe's No. 2 doubles tandem of Cristian Noriega and Jess Hager also found themselves in a bit of trouble. After dropping the first set 6-7 (5), the pair took the last two sets 6-2, 6-4 to upend Cam Meyfeurth and Nat Greuel.
"Cristian and Jess started slow but finished big," Saugstad said. "They started to get more aggressive around the net and good things happen in doubles when you are ending points at the net."
Monroe's Taylor Soddy blanked Jimmy Platz in the No. 1 singles match, 6-0, 6-0, and Frenchman Quinten L'Yvonnet dominated Peter Mallefer 6-0, 6-1.
"Taylor really took it to his opponent. He was taking charge of every point and took care of business quickly," Saugstad said. "Quinten has strung together three very nice sets in a row. He is a very capable 2-singles player, so hopefully this is just a preview of things to come."
L'Yvonnet, who plays club tennis back in Europe, said he likes playing against people his own age in Wisconsin, but also is thankful for what he has experienced on the court in France.
"It's pretty fun here. In France we have clubs and we have to travel to get a game, but here we already have games (scheduled)," L'Yvonnet said. "(In club leagues) we have tournaments and you can play against a guy that's 70. All of the players have a different way they play. You learn a lot when you play against old people."
An AFS-exchange student, L'Yvonnet said he has learned a lot since arriving in America.
"I learned English, first-off," L'Yvonnet joked. "I've made a lot of friends. High school is very different and the city too."
Monroe also got a win in No. 3 doubles from Josh Riese and Kevin Kohlstedt, who knocked off Cam Halverson and Sakher Sijapati 7-5, 6-2.
"Josh and Kevin played their best set of tennis in the second set. They had good serves, returns and were putting the balls away at the net," Saugstad said.
No. 2 singles Luke Andraski lost to Ian Kirkpatrick 6-1, 6-2 and Like Molinaro fell to Grant Smith in 4-singles 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Bad news for the Silver Eagles.
Monroe won two of four singles matches in dominating fashion and swept the doubles matches - including the top two doubles teams churning out grinder wins.
"Overall, this was our best match of the season," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "We were hitting and serving better, and played with a lot of energy. This was encouraging to see. Now we need to build on it."
The Cheesemakers' top doubles combo of Garrett Tschanz and Carson Root defeated Michael Wanta and Mario Testolin 6-4, 6-4.
"Carson and Garrett did pretty well in their first big test of the season," Saugstad said. "Their opponents were the No. 2 seed in the conference least year at 1-doubles. Carson and Garrett served big and were able to break serve enough to win."
The match wasn't without its questions. Both sides traded words on several questionable calls and Tschanz and Root rallied from a 3-4 deficit in the second set.
"We had to dig ourselves out of hole in the second set. We just went to work and got it done," Tschanz said.
Root, last year's No. 1 singles player, was paired with Tschanz with the hope that the duo can rip through the conference and have a legitimate shot at a state title run.
"It's great playing with Carson. We work really well together and we've known each other for so many years. We've played together every single summer and winter - it doesn't matter," Tschanz said of his chemistry with Root.
Monroe's No. 2 doubles tandem of Cristian Noriega and Jess Hager also found themselves in a bit of trouble. After dropping the first set 6-7 (5), the pair took the last two sets 6-2, 6-4 to upend Cam Meyfeurth and Nat Greuel.
"Cristian and Jess started slow but finished big," Saugstad said. "They started to get more aggressive around the net and good things happen in doubles when you are ending points at the net."
Monroe's Taylor Soddy blanked Jimmy Platz in the No. 1 singles match, 6-0, 6-0, and Frenchman Quinten L'Yvonnet dominated Peter Mallefer 6-0, 6-1.
"Taylor really took it to his opponent. He was taking charge of every point and took care of business quickly," Saugstad said. "Quinten has strung together three very nice sets in a row. He is a very capable 2-singles player, so hopefully this is just a preview of things to come."
L'Yvonnet, who plays club tennis back in Europe, said he likes playing against people his own age in Wisconsin, but also is thankful for what he has experienced on the court in France.
"It's pretty fun here. In France we have clubs and we have to travel to get a game, but here we already have games (scheduled)," L'Yvonnet said. "(In club leagues) we have tournaments and you can play against a guy that's 70. All of the players have a different way they play. You learn a lot when you play against old people."
An AFS-exchange student, L'Yvonnet said he has learned a lot since arriving in America.
"I learned English, first-off," L'Yvonnet joked. "I've made a lot of friends. High school is very different and the city too."
Monroe also got a win in No. 3 doubles from Josh Riese and Kevin Kohlstedt, who knocked off Cam Halverson and Sakher Sijapati 7-5, 6-2.
"Josh and Kevin played their best set of tennis in the second set. They had good serves, returns and were putting the balls away at the net," Saugstad said.
No. 2 singles Luke Andraski lost to Ian Kirkpatrick 6-1, 6-2 and Like Molinaro fell to Grant Smith in 4-singles 7-6 (5), 6-2.
