THE MEET: The 43rd Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Individual Tennis Tournament will be held Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 17-19. The meet takes place at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. Action will begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday at 9 a.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and students.
THE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Oct. 17
10:30 a.m. First Round Matches
Friday, Oct. 18
9 a.m. Action Through Quarterfinals
Saturday, Oct. 19
8:30 a.m. Consolation Semifinals
9 a.m. Championship Semifinals
10 a.m. Fifth-place Matches
11 a.m. Third-place Matches
11:30 a.m. Championship Matches
ON THE AIR: The State Girls Individual Tennis Tournament highlight program will air on FS Wisconsin Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. The State Team Tennis Tournament highlight package is scheduled to air Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
LAST YEAR: In singles play, top-seeded Elizabeth Konon of Homestead won her second consecutive Division 1 title. She defeated seventh-seeded Lea Krajcovicova of Milton 6-2, 6-0 in the championship match. Fourth-seeded Ali Pollack of University School won the Division 2 singles title as a freshman. She defeated teammate Maddy Ecker, who was seeded second, in the championship match 6-0, 6-1. In Division 1 doubles play, top-seeded Sophia Lococo and Anna Kreynin of Homestead captured the title by defeating seventh-seeded Justine Daane and Sammi Pedersen of Green Bay Southwest in the championship match 6-3, 6-1. The second-seeded duo of Lauren Keller and Morgan Molitor of Edgewood won the Division 2 doubles crown by topping top-seeded Abby Halla and Tallie Piaskowski of Roncalli 6-2, 6-4 in the title match.
DIVISION 1 SINGLES NOTES: Two-time defending champion Elizabeth Konon, a senior from Homestead, is the top seed with a 25-0 record. She hasn’t lost a match since her freshman season when she placed third in the State Tournament. Konon has posted a 137-1 career record entering tournament action. Freshman Lexi Keberle of West Bend East is seeded second with an unblemished 25-0 record entering play this week. Junior Emily Kolbow of Arrowhead has compiled a 31-2 record this season and was granted the #3 seed. She placed third last season and won two matches as a qualifier her freshman season in 2011. Senior Bridget Bellissimo of Middleton returns to the tournament field this year after advancing to the quarterfinals in 2011 and qualifying as a freshman in 2010. She has posted a 19-5 record this season. Senior Lily Hayes of Whitefish Bay has compiled a 21-5 record this season and is seeded fifth. She has finished fourth at State the last two seasons after qualifying as a freshman in 2010. The sixth seed was given to freshman Emily Luetschwager of Stevens Point. She has posted a 25-2 in her first season. Junior Gabi Kitchell of D.C. Everest is seeded seventh with a 27-2 record. She advanced to the quarterfinals last season before being ousted from title contention. Freshman Catherine Lindsay of Eau Claire Memorial is seeded eighth with a 25-4 record, and senior Emily Mone of Nicolet is a four-time qualifier seeded ninth with a 19-12 mark. Sophomore Kaisey Skibba of Middleton brings an 18-0 record into the State meet as the #10 seed. She qualified and won her first-round match a year ago. Other notables are sophomore Jennifer Skonieczny of Cedarburg, who advanced to the quarterfinals last season and is seeded 12th with a 21-7 record, and sophomore Anna Kreynin of Homestead, who is seeded 11th with a 22-1 after winning the State doubles championship last season. In addition to Konon, Keberle and Skibba, junior Emily Oberwitter of Middleton are undefeated to this point of the season at 27-0.
DIVISION 1 DOUBLES NOTES: The top seed was awarded to seniors Shelby and Tilly Chorney of Waunakee. They qualify for the State meet for the first time with 14-1 record. Senior Mardee Merar and freshman Katya Mikhailanko of Homestead are also making their first appearance as a doubles team at State. However, Merar finished fifth in the singles competition last season. They are the second seed with their 28-1 record. The third seed is seniors Justine Daane and Samantha Pedersen of Green Bay Southwest. The duo finished runner-up last year and enter the meet with a 24-2 record this season. In addition, Daane finished fifth in 2011 with a different teammate. The fourth seed is senior Sara Miller and junior Michelle Margolies of Nicolet with a 20-6 record. Miller advanced to the quarterfinals last season and was the 2011 runner-up with different partners. Margolies has qualified with different partners thelast two seasons as well. The senior tandem of Hannah Dexheimer and Bailey Sagen from Oshkosh West is the fifth seed with a 25-3 record. The pair finished sixth last season. The sixth seed is senior Darcy Hogendorn and junior Allison Ragsdale of Middleton, who qualify as a duo for the second straight season. They have posted a 20-6 record in 2013 entering play this week. Senior Maddie Strunsee and junior Haley Reynolds of Kettle Moraine are seeded seventh with a 25-7 mark, and senior Dibet Wilkinson and sophomore Lauren Weise of Cedarburg are seeded eighth with an 18-8 tally. There are two undefeated doubles teams entering play, and both are not seeded. Senior Angie Ciano and junior Natisha Heideman of Green Bay Southwest are 29-0, and juniors Joanie Williams and Andrea Chironis of Badger are 24-0.
DIVISION 2 SINGLES NOTES: Senior Grace Larrain of Newman Catholic was awarded the top seed with a 24-3 record. She finished fourth last season and was runner-up in 2011. Senior Jenna Zimmerman of Racine St. Catherine’s is 28-2 this season, and she is the #2 seed. She placed fifth last season after advancing to the quarterfinals in 2010 and 2011. Sophomore Tallie Piaskowski of Roncalli is seeded third with a 19-3 mark after finishing runner-up in doubles play last season, and junior Audra Hoffmann of Kohler is the fourth seed with a 25-5 record after qualifying last season. Other seeded players include junior Michelle Sikes of Brookfield Academy with a 17-4 record at #5, who qualified last season; freshman Emma Sango of Edgewood seeded sixth with a 20-7 record; freshman Claire Czerwonka of Kenosha St. Joseph seeded seventh with a 22-5 mark; and junior Annie Zlever of The Prairie School seeded eighth with a 19-9.
DIVISION 2 DOUBLES NOTES: Senior Maddy Brown and junior Hayley Clope of Racine St. Catherine’s were bestowed the top seed, entering the tournament with a 29-0 record after finishing third last season. The second seed was provided to senior Toni Rufledt and junior Carly Maves of Newman Catholic. They have amassed a 25-2 record this season. Rufledt qualified with a different partner last year, Maves qualified with a different partner in 2011. Juniors Julia Veitinger and Taylor Benard of University School make-up the third seeded duo. They have an 11-5 mark this season. Both qualified last season, but with different partners. Benard was half of the tandem that placed fifth. Their teammates comprise the seventh-seeded duo as well. Senior Carly Black and junior Emma Ross enter play with a 15-5 record. Senior Alecia Swenson and junior Gabby Brucker of Regis are seeded fourth with a 21-6 record after qualifying for State last season, and senior Martha Longley and junior Grace Seibert of Edgewood comprise the #5 seed with a 19-7 mark. They also gained valuable experience at State last year. Seniors Ellie Grossen and Chandra McGuire of Monroe qualified last year and are seeded sixth with a 21-3 record, and senior Kelly Quartaro and junior Marissa Taugher of Catholic Memorial are seeded eighth with a 12-4 tally.
NEED THE BRACKETS?: Brackets and qualifiers are available on the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org. Navigate to the girls tennis homepage for the State Tournament information.
NEED RESULTS?: Results of the State Tournament are available on the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org by accessing the girls tennis home page.
FOLLOW STATE MEET ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Receive updates of the State Girls Tennis Individual Tournament on the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaatennis. Also follow daily recaps on Facebook.