(WIAA) – The 54th 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 Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and will resume Friday at 9 a.m. with Saturday matches to begin at 8:30 a.m.
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 Singles Semifinals
9:30 a.m. Championship Doubles Semifinals
10 a.m. Fifth-place Matches
11 a.m. Third-place Matches
11:30 a.m. Championship Matches
BY THE NUMBERS: There were 201 teams sponsoring girls tennis this fall with 134 in Division 1 and 67 in Division 2. The top four finishers in flight 1 and the top finisher in flight 2 in both singles and doubles play at sectionals qualify for the State Tournament in each division. Also added to the tournament field by the seeding committee will be a maximum of 16 additional singles players and doubles teams in Division 1 and eight singles players and doubles teams in Division 2 that were eliminated earlier in the Tournament Series.
AREA PLAYERS PARTICIPATING
Division 1: Karlie Schock, Bay Port; Dana Keesler, Xavier; Lucy Lawton, Notre Dame; Celia Gentile, Neenah; Izzy Murray, Neenah; Linda Bowater, Fox Valley Lutheran; Julia Gurholt, Kimberly; Mia Miller, Notre Dame; Lilianna Graf, De Pere; Lexi Hankel, West De Pere; Ava Motto/Rebekah Thomas, Neenah; Mira Matuszewski/Rheya Gala, Bay Port; Ana Cristescu/Maria cristescu, De pere; Kate Jannette/Mariel Pante, Xavier; Sarah McCarthy/Addylin Vieth, Kimberly; Natalia Welle/Vivian Bigari, Notre Dame; Khali Stehens/Alexia Stephens, Bay Port; Grace Ogden/Gabby Stammer, Xavier; Meredith Werner/Sydney Michalkiewicz, Neenah; Sohie Lin/Mary Sullivan, Notre Dame; Oliva Gaskill/Sabrina Janda, Appleton North.
Division 2: Kate Johnston, New London; Audrey Wanless, St. Mary Catholic; Vivie Auth/Adel Schneider, St. Mary Catholic; Emily Vogel/Nadia Alexander, St. Mary Catholic.
LAST YEAR: Second-seeded Karlie Schock of Bay Port won the Division 1 singles crown with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over fifth-seeded Lexie Hankel of Janesville Craig in the championship match. In Division 1 doubles play, the top-seeded tandem of Molly Jex and Lizzie Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels successfully defended the title they won in 2022, defeating seventh-seeded Ashley Andler and Keena Cheng of Middleton 6-1, 6-2 in the championship final. In Division 2, second-seeded Angela Wang of the University School of Milwaukee defeated two-time defending champion and top-seeded Lily Olson of Edgewood with a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the championship match. In Division 2 doubles action, top-seeded Isabel Werner and Mia Darr of the University School of Milwaukee won the crown with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over second-seeded Sophia Torke and Grace Villwock of Kohler in the title match.
DIVISION 1 SINGLES NOTES: Sophomore Karlie Schock of Bay Port, the defending champion, received the #1 seed in the bracket, but she withdrew from participating in the tournament. Junior Lexie Hankel of West De Pere was issued the #2 seed, coming on the heels of a runner-up finish a year ago and a third-place finish in 2022. She has lost only once heading into play this week at 28-1. Junior Clare Schaefer of Whitefish Bay is the #3 seed after placing sixth at State the past two seasons. She enters play with a 24-1 record this year. Sophomore McKenna Thorson of Verona is seeded fourth with a record of 28-1. She advanced to the quarterfinals last season before being eliminated from title contention. Senior Natalie Stanula of Milwaukee Reagan is the #5 seed with a 28-1 record this season. Last year, she advanced to the third round before being defeated after she placed fourth in 2022. Stanula also advanced to the third round in 2021. Junior Caroline Raster of Brookfield East is seeded sixth with a record of 17-3 following a fourth-place finish last season. In addition, she advanced to the third round as a freshman in 2022. Senior Julia Gurholt of Kimberly is the #7 seed. She qualifies for the fourth straight season after advancing to the quarterfinals last year. Gurholt advanced to the second round in each of her first two State experiences. She has posted a 24-5 mark entering the State Tournament. Senior Naisha Nagpal of Verona has qualified for the third straight season and is the #8 seed with a 30-1 record. She advanced to the third round the past two seasons before being ousted from title contention. Junior Angela Wang of University School of Milwaukee is the #9 seed. She captured the Division 2 crown last season after finishing runner-up in Division 2 in 2022. She enters the tournament with a 14-7 record. Junior Lizzie Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels qualifies in the singles bracket after winning championships in doubles play the past two seasons. She is seeded 10th with a 20-8 mark this year. There are two undefeated players in the bracket. Freshman Andjela Bogovac of Greendale is 29-0 this season heading into play this week as the #14 seed. Senior Yukiko Mitchell of Brookfield East is unseeded with a 12-0 mark in limited singles matches this year.
DIVISION 1 DOUBLES NOTES: The top seeded duo in the bracket is junior Sarah Neubert and sophomore Isabella Heidenberger of Arrowhead with a 23-1 record this season. Neubert qualified with a different partner last year and finished sixth. Heidenberger qualified in the singles bracket last season and advanced to the second round before being defeated. The #2 seed was issued to senior Abby Frasher and Freshman Amelia Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels. Frasher qualified last season with a different partner and advanced to the third round. The tandem enters play with a 20-3 record. The sister tandem of senior Khali Stephens and freshman Alexia Stephens is seeded #3 and is one of three unbeaten duos in the bracket. They enter play at 12-0. Khali has State experience as a singles qualifier, advancing to the second round in 2021 and 2022. Another sister tandem is seeded #4. Junior Ana Cristescu and freshman Maria Cristescu of De Pere enter the tournament with a 22-2 record. Ana has qualified for State the past two seasons with different partners and finished third both times. The #5 seed in the bracket was issued to junior Ritu Nair and sophomore Melina Fiorentini of Homestead with a record of 23-6. The duo placed fifth last year. In addition, Nair gained State Tournament experience in singles play in 2022, advancing to the third round before being ousted from title contention. Senior Natalia Welle and sophomore Vivian Bigari of Notre Dame comprise the sixth seed with a record of 19-6. Bigari qualified last season in singles play, falling in her first-round match. Senior Meredith Werner and freshman Sydney Michalkiewicz of Neenah are seeded seventh with a 26-5 mark this season. Seniors Elena Kemp and Carly Pence of Whitefish Bay are the eighth seed with a 21-8 tally this year. Kemp has qualified the past two seasons with a different partner, advancing to the third round a year ago and the second round in 2022. Juniors Sophie Shi and Sarah Li of Middleton are the #9 seed with a record of 24-4. The 10th seed is sophomore Milena Halberg and freshman Mya Mommaerts of Sun Prairie West with a 7-3 record. Another notable seeded tandem is seniors Aubrey Jayne and Mia Darr of University School of Milwaukee. The #12-seeded duo has compiled a 15-9 record this year. With a different partner, Darr won the Division 2 doubles title last season and was third in 2022. The four-time qualifier also advanced to the second round with another partner in 2021. Jayne advanced to the second round in Division 2 singles play last season after reaching the quarterfinals in 2022. In addition to the Stephens undefeated duo, senior Greta Clark and sophomore Lily Clark of Superior are unbeaten at 17-0 as is sophomore Shriya Pusunuru and freshman Cece Bonfilio of Brookfield East at 9-0.
DIVISION 2 SINGLES NOTES: The top seed in the bracket is issued to sophomore Kylie Matz of Brookfield Academy. She enters the tournament with a 22-2 record. Sophomore Susanna Hundt of St. Joan Antida/Chesterton Academy is the #2 seed with a 24-2 mark. She placed sixth last year. Senior Kate Fortney of Aquinas is the #3 seed with a 29-2 record, which is tied for the most victories in the Division 2 singles bracket. She is a four-time State qualifier. Her most notable State experience was advancing to the second round last season. Sophomore Sasha Quandt of Lourdes Academy is seeded #4 with a 19-4 tally this season. She advanced to the quarterfinals as a freshman last season. Senior Megan Johnson of West Salem is seeded fifth with a 29-3 mark this year, which ties for the most victories in the bracket with Fortney. Johnson gained experience at State by qualifying last season and is attempting to advance past the opening round for the first time. Senior Ashna Dagam of Brookfield Academy is seeded sixth with a 20-6 record. She is a three-time qualifier in pursuit of her first win in the tournament. Junior Caroline Gerovac of New Berlin West is seeded #7 with an 18-9 mark, and senior Sarah Barton of Lakeland is seeded #8, sporting a 23-1 record.
DIVISION 2 DOUBLES NOTES: Junior Adel Schneider and freshman Vivie Auth of St. Mary Catholic are the top-seeded tandem in the bracket. They have posted an undefeated 27-0 record, which has the distinction of the most wins in the bracket this year. Schneider qualified last year in singles play and fell in her first-round match. Senior Sophia Torke and junior Grace Villwock of Kohler are seeded #2 with a 24-3 mark this season. The duo finished runner-up last season after advancing to the quarterfinals in 2022. In addition, Torke advanced to the quarterfinals with a different partner in 2021. A freshman tandem is seeded third. Grace and Hope Saller of St. Thomas More earned the seed with a 21-6 record this season. Senior Marina Matson and junior Audrey Quernemoen of Brookfield Academy is 15-9 this season to earn the #4 seed in the bracket. Seniors Maria Elizabeth Garcia and Akosua Yeboah of Columbus Catholic are the fifth seed with a 17-2 record. Garcia qualified with a different partner in 2022 and lost in the first round. After qualifying last season in singles play, senior Natalie Cooper of Pacelli partners with senior Lauren Loesl to comprise the sixth-seeded duo. They enter play this week with a 10-1 record. Freshmen Ava Miller and Parker Van Dusen of Kenosha St. Joseph are seeded #7 with an 18-4 record this season, and seniors Chloe Roberts and Amelia Lerret of Martin Luther are the eighth seed with a 21-4 record. The tandem qualified last season and fell in their opening-round match. The unseeded team of seniors Greta Boettcher and Aquila Palacios of Watertown Luther Prep enter play this week undefeated at 10-0.
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