MADISON - Monroe's Matt Monahan started the season playing on the junior varsity with a penchant for overhitting his shots.
He finished the regular season among the top four No. 4 singles players in the Badger Conference.
Not too shabby for a freshman.
"He's figured a lot out as the year's gone on," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I told Matt going into (play Saturday) that just to be in the semifinals was way beyond expectations."
Sauk Prairie's Tyler Ballweg defeated Monahan 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals en route to easily rolling to the conference title at UW-Madison's Nielsen Tennis Stadium. But Monahan bounced back to win the first set in the third-place match before falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Oregon's Dakota Tollakson.
Saugstad said Monahan's improvement was evident in the third-place match against Tollakson, who breezed to a straight-sets victory against the freshman during an earlier dual match.
"For Matt to come out and play very well to get that first set ... he's just developed a consistency in his shots and he's got a really nice serve," Saugstad said. "He lost a lot of matches to some tough opponents this year, but it all paid off because he learned a lot from those and was able to use that experience to get a couple of wins this weekend."
The difference for Monahan late in the season?
"He started the year trying to overhit shots and losing points too early," Saugstad said. "Now he knows when we can go for his points and hit it a little harder and when to keep it in play a little longer.
"Being the only member of our team (in the semifinals) and being a freshman was just a really good experience for him. He got to see a lot of good tennis and learned from the experience."
Madison Edgewood won its eighth straight Badger South Conference and overall titles with 46 points, easily holding off Badger North winner Waunakee (36). Monroe, Monona Grove and Milton each scored 10 points to finish tied for fourth in the Badger South.
He finished the regular season among the top four No. 4 singles players in the Badger Conference.
Not too shabby for a freshman.
"He's figured a lot out as the year's gone on," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "I told Matt going into (play Saturday) that just to be in the semifinals was way beyond expectations."
Sauk Prairie's Tyler Ballweg defeated Monahan 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals en route to easily rolling to the conference title at UW-Madison's Nielsen Tennis Stadium. But Monahan bounced back to win the first set in the third-place match before falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Oregon's Dakota Tollakson.
Saugstad said Monahan's improvement was evident in the third-place match against Tollakson, who breezed to a straight-sets victory against the freshman during an earlier dual match.
"For Matt to come out and play very well to get that first set ... he's just developed a consistency in his shots and he's got a really nice serve," Saugstad said. "He lost a lot of matches to some tough opponents this year, but it all paid off because he learned a lot from those and was able to use that experience to get a couple of wins this weekend."
The difference for Monahan late in the season?
"He started the year trying to overhit shots and losing points too early," Saugstad said. "Now he knows when we can go for his points and hit it a little harder and when to keep it in play a little longer.
"Being the only member of our team (in the semifinals) and being a freshman was just a really good experience for him. He got to see a lot of good tennis and learned from the experience."
Madison Edgewood won its eighth straight Badger South Conference and overall titles with 46 points, easily holding off Badger North winner Waunakee (36). Monroe, Monona Grove and Milton each scored 10 points to finish tied for fourth in the Badger South.
