Chiefs battle heat and Eagles

By Jim den Hollander

jdenhollander@capitalnewspapers.com

The first day of school is generally a sign of the end of summer.

However, when the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity girls tennis team took on Sauk Prairie High School in its first conference dual of the season after school Tuesday, they were playing on the hottest day of the summer to date.

Mother Nature teased the players with the briefest of rain showers as players prepared to take the court, but those drops were a distant memory by the end of the opening sets.

Both teams fought a two-way battle, against each other and against extreme heat and humidity. It would appear the visiting varsity Eagles handed both better with a 7-0 shutout over the Chiefs in their dual.

But, despite the scores, head coach Larry Martin said he is seeing basic improvement from everyone.

"I think across the board, all players are showing improvement," said Martin in a written report.

"In speaking with the players before each match, I tell them to show growth in their game while they are on the court. I believe if they do this, it will lead to the players being their best at the end of the season, which is our ultimate goal.," said the coach.

In singles matches, the Eagles made quick work of the locals, winning all four matches in straight sets and surrendering just seven of 55 games played.

The Chiefs provided a tougher challenge in doubles competition, the closest match of the day coming at Number three doubles where Erika McCabe and Maria Peterson dropped a pair of 4-6 sets to Emily Brickl and Amy Lang of Sauk Prairie.

Sophomores Mikayla McDonald and Amanda Moore dropped 2-6, 3-6 decisions at number two doubles against Lauren Anderson and Abby Kessenich while the number one doubles team of seniors Jordan Bork and Amber Byrne had some promising moments, but ultimately surrendered 1-6, 2-6 to Lauren Ganser and Janel McCormick.

While they fell in straight sets, it seemed all three doubles teams were just a few breaks or bounces away from a much better result.

"The number three team led their second set 4 - 0 before the Sauk Prairie team made a comeback," said Martin.

Jordan Bork and Amber Byrne played some of their most consistent tennis of the season in their match. MyKayla McDonald and Amanda Moore are ripe with potential, it's just being able to taking advantage of it.

"Taking advantage of opportunities was a theme of the post match talk with the team and has become a theme of the season. Hopefully, the players continue their growth and will begin to take advantage of the opportunities they are given."

In singles competition, where the Chiefs sent four seniors into the fray once again, number four Sasha Harmon enjoyed the most success, falling 1-6, 2-6 to Katie Shelton.

At number one singles, Karista Krueger fell 0-6, then took the first two games of the second set, before ultimately falling 2-6.

Christina Gehrke ran into a tough opponent in Alison Halweg, a Sauk freshman who went 4-0 at a recent tournament. Gehrke wound up on the short end 0-6, 1-6 Tuesday.

At number three singles, Jessica Luer also ran into a tough foe in Nicole Kindschi, falling 1-6, 0-6.

At Tomah Invite

Last Friday, the Chiefs attended a Triangular tourney in Tomah, getting a rematch against Black River Falls and facing another tough opponent in host Tomah.

Against the Tigers, the locals reversed a 2-5 defeat in their opening match, taking a 5-2 win and its second match victory of the young season.

In singles play, the Chiefs took three of four matches, number while two out of three doubles decisions went to the Chiefs as well.

Both number one's came up short, Krueger dropping a 1-6, 2-6 decision at singles while Bork and Byrne dropped 2-6, 1-6 decisions in doubles.

Gehrke earned a 6-2, 7-5 win at number two singles, Luer getting a 4-6, 3-2 win when Decorah of Black River Falls was forced to the sidelines due to injury.

Harmon won her match 6-1, 6-4.

In doubles, McCabe and Peterson teamed up to defeat Markee and Peterson 6-1, 6-0 while Abby Delmore and Heather Gehrke defeated Holty/Maltais 7-5, 6-1.

Against Tomah, the Chiefs again found a formidable opponent, dropping all seven matches.

Krueger fought hard in the first set before bowing 3-6 and was shutout in the second set. Gehrke kept it close, but gave up 3-6, 2-6 decisions at number two, Luer falling 1-6, 0-6 at number three and Harmon swept in 12 straight games at number four.

In doubles, Bork and Byrne were downed 2-6, 1-6, McCabe and Peterson fell 0-6, 1-6 and the team of Delmore/H. Gehrke were defeated by matching scores of 1-6.

Rained out Thursday

After Thursday's scheduled match with Waunakee was rained out, the Chiefs gained a practice before heading off to DeForest on Monday.

Next home match for the locals will be Sept. 16 when the Baraboo Thunderbirds pay a visit.

In preparation for the upcoming matches, Martin said his team is currently trying to make their opponents work a little harder.

"With all of the players we are working on shot placement," said the coach.

" With the singles players, the focus is getting their opponents to move and force them into mistakes. When our players have had success, movement has been directly related. As for the doubles teams, shot placement is important in order to avoid the net person from the other team. We have had an issue with that, and it leads to easy points for the opponents."