THE MEET: The 19th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Team Tennis Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20. The meet takes place at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. Action will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday and will resume at 9 a.m. Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults and students.
THE DIVISION 1 MATCH-UPS:
Division 1 - Quarterfinals (5:30 p.m. Oct. 19)
Match-1: Neenah (15-1) vs. Nicolet (18-6)
Match-2: Eau Claire Memorial (21-4) vs. Divine Savior Holy Angels (18-2)
Match-3: Middleton (22-0) vs. Homestead (22-1)
Match-4: Green Bay Southwest (19-8) vs. Badger (11-3)
Division 1 - Semifinals (9 a.m. Oct. 20)
Match-5: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2
Match-6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4
Division 1 - Championship (2 p.m. Oct. 20)
Match-7: Winner of Match 5 vs. Winner of Match 6
THE DIVISION 2 MATCH-UPS:
Division 2 - Semifinals (9 a.m. Oct. 20)
Match-1: Roncalli (19-5) vs. Edgewood (17-7)
Match-2: Regis (21-5) vs. University School (23-5)
Division 2 - Championship (2 p.m. Oct. 20)
Match-3: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2
BY THE NUMBERS: There were 208 teams sponsoring girls tennis this fall with 136 in Division 1 and 72 in Division 2. The State Tournament field of teams is determined by team points recorded at the subsectional and sectional levels.
ON THE AIR: The State Team Tennis Tournament highlight package is scheduled to air on FS Wisconsin Monday, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. The State Girls Individual Tennis Tournament highlight program will air on FS Wisconsin Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Homestead captured its fourth consecutive Division 1 State team championship. The Highlanders downed Nicolet 5-2 by sweeping each of the singles matches and adding a victory at the #1 doubles match in the championship final. University School won the Division 2 title by defeating three-time defending champion Notre Dame 4-3 in the championship match. The Wildcats won three of the four singles matches and a doubles match to earn their fifth team title and the first since the final of a four year run of championships in 2007.
THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: In Division 1, Nicolet has won six titles since the advent of the team championship dual format in 1994 and have won a membership-leading 17 titles. Brookfield Central has won three championships since the beginning of the dual format and nine overall. Whitefish Bay has won eight titles, including four Division 2 titles.
ABOUT THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Four-time defending champion Homestead is making its eighth tournament appearance and its fifth in a row. In addition to the four titles, the Highlanders also recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2002-03. Last year’s runner-up Nicolet is making its ninth appearance overall since the dual meet format was established and its third in the last four years. The Knights won six team tournament championships, including three straight on two different occasions, from 1994-96 and from 1998-2000. Including the pre-team tournament era, they have been crowned team champions a membership-leading 17 times. Green Bay Southwest will be appearing in the tournament for the 18th time, the most of any member school since the dual-match format began. The Fighting Trojans won the Division 1 title in 1997 and finished runner-up in 2010. Eau Claire Memorial is making its third straight appearance and its 14th overall. The Old Abes have finished runner-up four times (1998, 1999, 2001, 2004). Neenah is making its 10th overall appearance and its first since 2007. The Rockets best outcome in the State Team Tournament came with a runner-up finish in 2000. They also finished runner-up on two other occasions (1983, 1986) prior to the dual-match format. Divine Savior Holy Angels is making its fourth consecutive appearance and its sixth overall. The Dashers have won a pair of State titles. The first came in 2001 and then again in 2004. Middleton has qualified for the fifth time and for the third straight season. Badger qualifies for State for the first time.
ABOUT THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Defending champion University School will seek its sixth State championship. The Wildcats are appearing in their ninth team tournament, all coming consecutively since 2004. They won four straight titles from 2004-07 and finished runner-up in 2008 and 2009. Edgewood makes its fourth straight appearance in the State Tournament field and its sixth overall. The Crusaders have had runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2010. Regis is making its third straight appearance in the State Team Tournament, which also accounts for the Lady Ramblers overall total. Roncalli will participate in the State Team Tournament for the first time since its only other appearance in 2006. The Jets finished runner-up that season.
LAST WEEK: Junior Elizabeth Konon of Homestead successfully defended her 2011 Division 1 singles crown by defeating Lea Krajcovicova of Milton in the championship match 6-2, 6-0. Senior Sophia Lococo and freshman Anna Kreynin Homestead won the State Division 1 doubles championship. They notched a 6-3, 6-1 victory over juniors Justine Daane and Sammi Pedersen of Green Bay Southwest. It was Lococo’s second consecutive doubles title, winning the 2011 title with Carly Peck. Fourth-seeded freshman Ali Pollack of the University School captured the Division 2 singles crown by downing senior teammate Maddy Ecker in the title match 6-0, 6-1. Seniors Lauren Keller and Morgan Molitor of Edgewood won the Division 2 doubles championship with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the top-seeded team of senior Abby Halla and freshman Tallie Piaskowski of Roncalli.
NEED INFORMATION?: Rosters and records of teams in the State tournament are available on the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org by accessing the Tournament Information page from the girls tennis homepage. Results will only be available on the girls tennis Tournament Information page on the WIAA website.