BEAVER DAM - The Monroe boys tennis team finished fifth place out of seven teams at the Beaver Dam Invitational Saturday.
"As a team we had some nice individual showings, but finished a spot or two below what we were hoping for," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I knew Waunakee and Plymouth had nice teams and would be fighting for the top spot, but I thought we could slide in behind them for third.."
Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom at No. 2 singles finished third place and finished the invite 2-1. Setterstrom pulled out a tight match 6-4, 6-4 over Madison La Follette's Conner Hundt. Waunakee's Austin Zellner knocked off Setterstrom 7-6 (3), 6-1. He defeated Watertown's Michael Burd 6-1, 6-1 to take third place.
Saugstad liked the way Setterstrom competed in the first set in his only loss to Zellner.
"This was very similar to Silas' match against Oregon last week," Saugstad said. "Both Waunakee and Oregon have strong No. 2 singles players, but Silas hung right there with them in the first sets. We'll have to figure out a way to get Silas over the hump to win that close set against strong players."
The Cheesemakers' No. 2 doubles team of senior Jermey Miller and sophomore Kody Althaus also took third place. Miller and Althaus beat Plymouth's Ryan Holec and Ben Pierce 6-3, 6-1 in their first match. Waunakee's Jack Mathison and Luke Dias beat them 6-2, 6-3. Miller and Althaus overpowered Onalaska's Mike Vandervennet and Ethan Houskamp 6-0, 6-2 to win a third-place match.
"They came out ready to play and just overwhelmed a Plymouth team to start the day," Saugstad said. "I was worried about the first round because I knew Plymouth had a strong team overall, but Kody and Jeremy took over the net and did a great job. Jeremy and Kody are really coming into their own as a doubles team. They move well, keep good spacing and positioning on the court and stay very upbeat about their matches."
Monroe senior David Shon at No. 1 singles, senior Zach Hendrickson at No. 3 singles and the No. 1 doubles team of seniors Kevin Noriega and Matt Monahan each finished fourth place. Monroe senior Rhett Katzenberger at No. 4 singles went 2-1 and finished fifth place.
Shon defeated Beaver Dam's Chris Te Ronde 6-2, 6-4 and then lost a semifinal match to Waunakee's James Paradisin 6-4, 6-4. Watertown's Jacob Peters outlasted Shon to beat him in three sets 2-6, 7-5, 11-9 in the third-place match. Shon led 6-2 and 5-4 in the third-place match, but couldn't close it out.
"He (Shon) completely ran out of gas," Saugstad said. "David looked to be the better player, but lost his legs and just wasn't hitting the ball the way he can."
At No. 3 singles, Hendrickson defeated Onalaska's Sam Yinn 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5 in the first round. Waunakee's Jesse Gallagher beat Hendrickson 7-5, 6-2. In the third-place match, Watertown's Cole Werning defeated Hendrickson 6-3, 6-1.
"He was very tired for his last three sets," Saugstad said. "That is why we play tournaments like this, to try to build up our endurance for our important tournaments later in the year."
After a first-round bye, the Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Noriega and Monahan lost to Plymouth 6-2, 6-3. Madison La Follette's Kevin Dunn and Joe Hayes then beat Noriega and Monahan in a third-place match 6-4, 6-4.
At No. 4 singles, Waunakee's Simon Krasnowski defeated Katzenberger 6-3, 6-2. Katzenberger then beat Onalaska's Christian Platt 6-2, 6-1 and defeated Madison La Follete's Ryan Disch 6-3, 6-1.
"As a team we had some nice individual showings, but finished a spot or two below what we were hoping for," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I knew Waunakee and Plymouth had nice teams and would be fighting for the top spot, but I thought we could slide in behind them for third.."
Monroe sophomore Silas Setterstrom at No. 2 singles finished third place and finished the invite 2-1. Setterstrom pulled out a tight match 6-4, 6-4 over Madison La Follette's Conner Hundt. Waunakee's Austin Zellner knocked off Setterstrom 7-6 (3), 6-1. He defeated Watertown's Michael Burd 6-1, 6-1 to take third place.
Saugstad liked the way Setterstrom competed in the first set in his only loss to Zellner.
"This was very similar to Silas' match against Oregon last week," Saugstad said. "Both Waunakee and Oregon have strong No. 2 singles players, but Silas hung right there with them in the first sets. We'll have to figure out a way to get Silas over the hump to win that close set against strong players."
The Cheesemakers' No. 2 doubles team of senior Jermey Miller and sophomore Kody Althaus also took third place. Miller and Althaus beat Plymouth's Ryan Holec and Ben Pierce 6-3, 6-1 in their first match. Waunakee's Jack Mathison and Luke Dias beat them 6-2, 6-3. Miller and Althaus overpowered Onalaska's Mike Vandervennet and Ethan Houskamp 6-0, 6-2 to win a third-place match.
"They came out ready to play and just overwhelmed a Plymouth team to start the day," Saugstad said. "I was worried about the first round because I knew Plymouth had a strong team overall, but Kody and Jeremy took over the net and did a great job. Jeremy and Kody are really coming into their own as a doubles team. They move well, keep good spacing and positioning on the court and stay very upbeat about their matches."
Monroe senior David Shon at No. 1 singles, senior Zach Hendrickson at No. 3 singles and the No. 1 doubles team of seniors Kevin Noriega and Matt Monahan each finished fourth place. Monroe senior Rhett Katzenberger at No. 4 singles went 2-1 and finished fifth place.
Shon defeated Beaver Dam's Chris Te Ronde 6-2, 6-4 and then lost a semifinal match to Waunakee's James Paradisin 6-4, 6-4. Watertown's Jacob Peters outlasted Shon to beat him in three sets 2-6, 7-5, 11-9 in the third-place match. Shon led 6-2 and 5-4 in the third-place match, but couldn't close it out.
"He (Shon) completely ran out of gas," Saugstad said. "David looked to be the better player, but lost his legs and just wasn't hitting the ball the way he can."
At No. 3 singles, Hendrickson defeated Onalaska's Sam Yinn 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-5 in the first round. Waunakee's Jesse Gallagher beat Hendrickson 7-5, 6-2. In the third-place match, Watertown's Cole Werning defeated Hendrickson 6-3, 6-1.
"He was very tired for his last three sets," Saugstad said. "That is why we play tournaments like this, to try to build up our endurance for our important tournaments later in the year."
After a first-round bye, the Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Noriega and Monahan lost to Plymouth 6-2, 6-3. Madison La Follette's Kevin Dunn and Joe Hayes then beat Noriega and Monahan in a third-place match 6-4, 6-4.
At No. 4 singles, Waunakee's Simon Krasnowski defeated Katzenberger 6-3, 6-2. Katzenberger then beat Onalaska's Christian Platt 6-2, 6-1 and defeated Madison La Follete's Ryan Disch 6-3, 6-1.
