EAST TROY - The Monroe High School girls tennis team placed third at the season-opening East Troy quadrangular Monday.
The Cheesemakers went 1-2 in dual matches. East Troy clipped Monroe 4-3, and Union Grove defeated the Cheesemakers 5-2. Monroe beat Whitewater 4-3.
Monroe senior Maggie Setterstrom at No. 2 singles, sophomore Emma Towne playing Nos. 3 and 4 singles, and senior Skye Allen, who also played Nos. 3 and 4 singles, each went 2-1. The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Hallie Signer and sophomore Jensen Christensen also went 2-1.
As a team, the Cheesemakers won nine individual matches and lost 12.
"Overall, we showed a ton of improvement today compared to past years because in the last two years at this quad we won only one match and lost 41," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "Today was a low pressure tournament that showed us what we are doing well and what we have to work on. It was also a chance to figure out what our lineup might look like for the season. We had a lot of encouraging signs, but everyone definitely has a thing or two to work on."
In the match against East Troy, Setterstrom defeated Mikayla Lamping 6-2, 7-5.
"She was getting into the net a lot and really trying to execute her strategy," Saugstad said of Setterstrom.
Allen, at No. 4 singles, pulled out a win over East Troy's Maddie Peters 6-3, 0-6, (10-8).
"Skye, like Emma, mainly plays from the baseline," Saugstad said. "She kept a lot of balls in play and won two tiebreakers on the day."
Monroe freshman Grace Tostrud, who went 1-2 in the quad, escaped with a 6-3, 7-6 win over East Troy's Jessica Tess.
"Grace really played a strong match against East Troy," Saugstad said. "Grace's game really revolves around getting to the net, and she was hitting strong approach shots and winning a lot of net points in that match."
Against Union Grove, Towne, at No. 3 singles, pulled out a win against sophomore Brooke Gnas 6-2, 1-6, (10-8).
"Emma looked really nervous and uptight in her first varsity match, but after that first match she really loosened up and played well," Saugstad said. "Emma was hustling all over the court and kept a lot of balls in play."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Signer and Christensen edged Union Grove's Kaitlyn Krause and Karissa Franceschina 7-5, 6-3.
In Monroe's win over Whitewater, the Cheesemakers won three of the four singles matches. Setterstrom knocked off the Whippets' Hannah Delaney 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. At No. 3 singles, Towne defeated Whitewater's Cassidy Laue 6-4, 6-3. Allen defeated Whitewater's Kaitlyn Portall 7-6, 6-1.
At No. 1 doubles, Signer and Christensen defeated Whitewater's Maggie Hough and Hailey Lohmeier 6-3, 6-0. The only match Signer and Christensen lost was 6-2, 6-2 to East Troy's Mackenzie Lindow and Erin Rice, who took fourth at state last year.
"I was really impressed by Hallie and Jensen, especially considering these were their first three matches together," Saugstad said. "They functioned really well as a team, hit solid returns and took over the net."
Monroe will play in a two-day tournament in Waukesha starting Friday.
"That will be another good test for our team," Saugstad said.
The Cheesemakers went 1-2 in dual matches. East Troy clipped Monroe 4-3, and Union Grove defeated the Cheesemakers 5-2. Monroe beat Whitewater 4-3.
Monroe senior Maggie Setterstrom at No. 2 singles, sophomore Emma Towne playing Nos. 3 and 4 singles, and senior Skye Allen, who also played Nos. 3 and 4 singles, each went 2-1. The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of senior Hallie Signer and sophomore Jensen Christensen also went 2-1.
As a team, the Cheesemakers won nine individual matches and lost 12.
"Overall, we showed a ton of improvement today compared to past years because in the last two years at this quad we won only one match and lost 41," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "Today was a low pressure tournament that showed us what we are doing well and what we have to work on. It was also a chance to figure out what our lineup might look like for the season. We had a lot of encouraging signs, but everyone definitely has a thing or two to work on."
In the match against East Troy, Setterstrom defeated Mikayla Lamping 6-2, 7-5.
"She was getting into the net a lot and really trying to execute her strategy," Saugstad said of Setterstrom.
Allen, at No. 4 singles, pulled out a win over East Troy's Maddie Peters 6-3, 0-6, (10-8).
"Skye, like Emma, mainly plays from the baseline," Saugstad said. "She kept a lot of balls in play and won two tiebreakers on the day."
Monroe freshman Grace Tostrud, who went 1-2 in the quad, escaped with a 6-3, 7-6 win over East Troy's Jessica Tess.
"Grace really played a strong match against East Troy," Saugstad said. "Grace's game really revolves around getting to the net, and she was hitting strong approach shots and winning a lot of net points in that match."
Against Union Grove, Towne, at No. 3 singles, pulled out a win against sophomore Brooke Gnas 6-2, 1-6, (10-8).
"Emma looked really nervous and uptight in her first varsity match, but after that first match she really loosened up and played well," Saugstad said. "Emma was hustling all over the court and kept a lot of balls in play."
The Cheesemakers' No. 1 doubles team of Signer and Christensen edged Union Grove's Kaitlyn Krause and Karissa Franceschina 7-5, 6-3.
In Monroe's win over Whitewater, the Cheesemakers won three of the four singles matches. Setterstrom knocked off the Whippets' Hannah Delaney 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. At No. 3 singles, Towne defeated Whitewater's Cassidy Laue 6-4, 6-3. Allen defeated Whitewater's Kaitlyn Portall 7-6, 6-1.
At No. 1 doubles, Signer and Christensen defeated Whitewater's Maggie Hough and Hailey Lohmeier 6-3, 6-0. The only match Signer and Christensen lost was 6-2, 6-2 to East Troy's Mackenzie Lindow and Erin Rice, who took fourth at state last year.
"I was really impressed by Hallie and Jensen, especially considering these were their first three matches together," Saugstad said. "They functioned really well as a team, hit solid returns and took over the net."
Monroe will play in a two-day tournament in Waukesha starting Friday.
"That will be another good test for our team," Saugstad said.
