WHITEWATER - Monroe's No. 1 doubles team of juniors Ellie Grossen and Chandra McGuire rallied in back-to-back matches to reach the sectional finals Wednesday.
"Ellie and Chandra had a nerve wracking, but great day today," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said.
In the quarterfinals, Grossen and McGuire lost the first game to Lodi's Kelly Quam and Paige Cooper 1-6. The Monroe duo fought back in a big way, though, winning 6-0, 6-1.
To qualify for individual state, they needed to win their quarterfinal match, and Saugstad was worried for a moment that they might come up short.
"The way the match started off, it did not look like Ellie and Chandra would be making it to state," he said. "Ellie and Chandra played, what probably was their worst set of the year.
"They looked nervous and were making mistake after mistake and weren't moving very well on the court. Thankfully, Ellie and Chandra started to relax early in the second set, and by the end of the second set they were playing some pretty good tennis."
In the semifinals, Grossen and McGuire got into another early hole, dropping the first game to East Troy's higher-seeded team of Abi Goode and Paige Kloth 3-6.
But once again, the duo rallied to take the last two games 6-4, 6-3.
East Troy jumped out early by playing a lob-heavy strategy, but Saugstad said Grossen and McGuire fought back nicely.
"It was a back and forth the first set until East Troy started to put up lob after lob and Ellie and Chandra didn't have an answer for it," Saugstad said. "In the second set though, Ellie and Chandra forced East Troy to stop lobbing by playing more aggressively and attacking early in the point.
"East Troy was a pretty good team and had only lost once previously on the year, so that was a big win for Ellie and Chandra to get."
The win propelled the Monroe team to the finals to face Edgewood's duo of Lauren Keller and Morgan Molitor - a team that defeated them a week prior at the Badger Conference tournament.
Grossen and McGuire were defeated again, this time in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.
"The Edgewood players are just so good and put so much pace and spin on the ball that Ellie and Chandra really struggled to adjust," Saugstad said. "In the second set the girls adjusted a little better, and Edgewood was overly aggressive and made some mistakes. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to pull out the second set."
By winning their quarterfinal match, though, Grossen and McGuire qualified for state. All in all, Saugstad was pleased with the way his team played.
"I saw a lot of improvements from Ellie and Chandra today in comparison to earlier in the season," he said. "The girls handled lobs much better, put away a lot more balls around the net, and served much better. It was great to see those improvements.
"I still believe Ellie and Chandra can take their game up another level before state."
As a team, Monroe finished in eighth place with 8 points. Edgewood won the sectional without losing a single match.
Grossen and McGuire will play at state on Thursday, October 11. Their draw will come out Saturday morning.
"Ellie and Chandra had a nerve wracking, but great day today," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said.
In the quarterfinals, Grossen and McGuire lost the first game to Lodi's Kelly Quam and Paige Cooper 1-6. The Monroe duo fought back in a big way, though, winning 6-0, 6-1.
To qualify for individual state, they needed to win their quarterfinal match, and Saugstad was worried for a moment that they might come up short.
"The way the match started off, it did not look like Ellie and Chandra would be making it to state," he said. "Ellie and Chandra played, what probably was their worst set of the year.
"They looked nervous and were making mistake after mistake and weren't moving very well on the court. Thankfully, Ellie and Chandra started to relax early in the second set, and by the end of the second set they were playing some pretty good tennis."
In the semifinals, Grossen and McGuire got into another early hole, dropping the first game to East Troy's higher-seeded team of Abi Goode and Paige Kloth 3-6.
But once again, the duo rallied to take the last two games 6-4, 6-3.
East Troy jumped out early by playing a lob-heavy strategy, but Saugstad said Grossen and McGuire fought back nicely.
"It was a back and forth the first set until East Troy started to put up lob after lob and Ellie and Chandra didn't have an answer for it," Saugstad said. "In the second set though, Ellie and Chandra forced East Troy to stop lobbing by playing more aggressively and attacking early in the point.
"East Troy was a pretty good team and had only lost once previously on the year, so that was a big win for Ellie and Chandra to get."
The win propelled the Monroe team to the finals to face Edgewood's duo of Lauren Keller and Morgan Molitor - a team that defeated them a week prior at the Badger Conference tournament.
Grossen and McGuire were defeated again, this time in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.
"The Edgewood players are just so good and put so much pace and spin on the ball that Ellie and Chandra really struggled to adjust," Saugstad said. "In the second set the girls adjusted a little better, and Edgewood was overly aggressive and made some mistakes. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to pull out the second set."
By winning their quarterfinal match, though, Grossen and McGuire qualified for state. All in all, Saugstad was pleased with the way his team played.
"I saw a lot of improvements from Ellie and Chandra today in comparison to earlier in the season," he said. "The girls handled lobs much better, put away a lot more balls around the net, and served much better. It was great to see those improvements.
"I still believe Ellie and Chandra can take their game up another level before state."
As a team, Monroe finished in eighth place with 8 points. Edgewood won the sectional without losing a single match.
Grossen and McGuire will play at state on Thursday, October 11. Their draw will come out Saturday morning.
