MADISON - The Monroe No. 2 doubles team of senior Jeremy Miller and sophomore Kody Althaus finished fourth place at the Badger Conference tennis tournament Friday at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
Madison Edgewood, ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 and the state runner-up last year, crushed the field winning the Badger South Conference. The Crusaders won conference titles in all seven flights en route to racing up the total maximum 56 points to win the overall conference tournament. Oregon took second with 38 points and Waunakee was third with 30 points. Monroe finished fourth place in the Badger South and sixth overall in the conference tournament.
Edgewood's top-seeded No. 2 doubles team of Thomas Thelen and Daniel Garlock defeated Miller and Althaus in the semifinals 6-1, 6-1. The Edgewood duo went on to win the title knocking off Monona Grove's Patrick Beaty and Luke Maillefer 6-2, 6-1.
"Jeremy and Kody were just overwhelmed against Edgewood," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "Truthfully, Edgewood's No. 2 doubles team probably would have finished third in the No. 1 doubles flight. They hit the ball incredibly hard, and they are so tall it's nearly impossible to get a ball past them at the net."
In a third-place match, Oregon's Logan Piper and Sam Schaefer beat Miller and Althaus in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. It's the third time this season Miller and Althaus have lost to Oregon.
"Against Oregon they started off playing really well," Saugstad said. "Oregon changed their strategy in the second and third sets and started mixing in some I-formation and Australian formation looks that took us out of rhythm and we just couldn't adjust. Jeremy and Kody played hard, but just missed a few too many shots."
Monroe will play in the WIAA Division 2 Big Foot-Williams Bay subsectional Tuesday.
Madison Edgewood, ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 and the state runner-up last year, crushed the field winning the Badger South Conference. The Crusaders won conference titles in all seven flights en route to racing up the total maximum 56 points to win the overall conference tournament. Oregon took second with 38 points and Waunakee was third with 30 points. Monroe finished fourth place in the Badger South and sixth overall in the conference tournament.
Edgewood's top-seeded No. 2 doubles team of Thomas Thelen and Daniel Garlock defeated Miller and Althaus in the semifinals 6-1, 6-1. The Edgewood duo went on to win the title knocking off Monona Grove's Patrick Beaty and Luke Maillefer 6-2, 6-1.
"Jeremy and Kody were just overwhelmed against Edgewood," Monroe coach Brad Saugstad said. "Truthfully, Edgewood's No. 2 doubles team probably would have finished third in the No. 1 doubles flight. They hit the ball incredibly hard, and they are so tall it's nearly impossible to get a ball past them at the net."
In a third-place match, Oregon's Logan Piper and Sam Schaefer beat Miller and Althaus in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. It's the third time this season Miller and Althaus have lost to Oregon.
"Against Oregon they started off playing really well," Saugstad said. "Oregon changed their strategy in the second and third sets and started mixing in some I-formation and Australian formation looks that took us out of rhythm and we just couldn't adjust. Jeremy and Kody played hard, but just missed a few too many shots."
Monroe will play in the WIAA Division 2 Big Foot-Williams Bay subsectional Tuesday.
