(WIAA) – The 55th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls Individual Tennis Tournament will be held Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 16-18. 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 mat’ches to begin at 8:30 a.m.
AREA PARTICIPANTS:
Division 1 Singles – Ruth Krause (12) Pulaski (13-5); Anna Miller (11) Notre Dame (20-2); Alexia Stephens (10) Bay Port (18-2); Ella Motto (11) Neenah (29-3); Lillianna Graf (11) De Pere (17-7); Vivi Bigari (11) Notre Dame (22-8); Elise Schreiber (11) Kimberly (18-13); Lexie Hankel (12) West De Pere (28-0);
Division 1 Doubles – Mira Matuszewski (11) Rheya Gala (10) Bay Port (13-4); Kate Jannette (12) Mariel Pante (12) Xavier (21-5); Sophia Titus (12) Lane Deshazer (10) De Pere (17-4); Lucy Kraft (12) Bryn Steenbock (11) West De Pere (15-11); Madison Siminski (12) Maddie Wied (12) Notre Dame (11-16); Ava Motto (12) Cecelia Alexander (12) Neenah (29-3); Olivia Gaskill (12) Rosie Whitlinger (11) Appleton North (15-3); Ava Motto (12) Cecelia Alexander (12) Neenah (29-3).
Division 2 Singles – Erin Blaney (12) St. Mary Catholic (13-12)
Division 2 Doubles – Vivie Auth (10) Adel Schneider (12) St. Mary Catholic (24-0); Nadia Alexander (11) Lorelai Miller (10) St. Mary Catholic (21-2)
THE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Oct. 16
10:30 a.m. First Round Matches
Friday, Oct. 17
9 a.m. Action Through Quarterfinals
Saturday, Oct. 18
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 198 teams sponsoring girls tennis this fall with 130 in Division 1 and 68 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.
LAST YEAR: Third-seeded Clare Schaefer of Whitefish Bay won the Division 1 singles crown with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over ninth-seeded and former defending Division 2 champion Angela Wang of the University School of Milwaukee in the championship match. In Division 1 doubles play, the top-seeded duo of Sarah Neubert and Isabella Heidenberger of Arrowhead captured the crown with a 6-3, 2-6, 12-10 victory over second-seeded Abby Frasher and Amelia Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels in the championship final. In Division 2, top-seeded Kylie Matz of Brookfield Academy defeated third-seeded Kate Fortney of Aquinas 6-1, 6-1 in the championship match to earn the title. In Division 2 doubles action, top-seeded Vivie Auth and Adel Schneider of St. Mary Central won the championship with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over sixth-seeded Natalie Cooper and Lauren Loesl of Pacelli in the title match.
DIVISION 1 SINGLES NOTES: Senior Caroline Raster of Brookfield East, a four-time qualifier, is the top seed with a record of 19-0. She has placed fifth the past two seasons after advancing to the third round of play in 2022. Junior McKenna Thorson of Verona is the #2 seed with a record of 30-1. She returns after placing fourth last year and advancing to the quarterfinals in 2023. Senior Lexie Hankel of West De Pere qualifies for the fourth time. She was issued the #3 seed following a fourth-place finish in 2024 to go with a runner-up outcome in 2023 and a third-place finish in 2022. She is undefeated heading into action this week at 28-0. Last year’s runner-up, senior Angela Wang of University School of Milwaukee, is the #4 seed. The four-time State qualifier captured the Division 2 crown last season after finishing runner-up in Division 2 in 2022. She enters the tournament with an 18-2 record. Senior Emily Muresan of Arrowhead is the #5 seed with a 20-4 record this season. Last year, she advanced to the third round before being defeated. Additionally, she advanced to the second round in 2023. Freshman Natalia Martinez of Brookfield East is undefeated in her first campaign at 20-0, which earned her the #6 seed in the bracket. Junior Melina Florentini of Homestead is seeded seventh. She qualified in doubles last year and placed fifth with her partner. She possesses a 26-6 mark entering play this week. The eighth seed was issued to sophomore Andjela Bogovac of Greendale with a 20-1 tally this year. Qualifying last year as a freshman, she advanced to the third round before falling from title contention. Lexington Monroe, a junior from Badger, is the ninth seed. She enters play with a 23-6 mark this season after advancing to the third round in each of the past two seasons. Senior Kate Thorne of Oregon is seeded 10th. She possesses a 22-2 record after advancing to the second round the past two seasons. Another note of interest, sophomore Alexia Stephens of Bay Port transitions from doubles to singles this year after finishing third at State in the doubles bracket last year. She enters play seeded 12th with an 18-2 record.
DIVISION 1 DOUBLES NOTES: The #1 seed was issued to the sister tandem of senior Lizzie Stuckslager and sophomore Amelia Stuckslager of Divine Savior Holy Angels. Lizzie is a four-time State qualifier. She won the 2022 and 2023 doubles championships with a different partner and advanced to the quarterfinals in singles play last year. She seeks to become just the third girls player to win three doubles titles. Amelia finished runner-up in doubles play last season with a different partner. Another sister duo, senior Ana Cristescu and sophomore Maria Cristescu of De Pere, qualify after placing fourth last year. Ana also participated at State with different partners in 2022 and 2023 and finished third both times. The defending champions return as the #3 seed in the bracket. Senior Sarah Neubert and junior Isabella Heidenberger of Arrowhead have compiled a 23-0 record this season. Prior to last year’s triumph, Neubert qualified with a different partner in 2023 and finished sixth. Heidenberger qualified in the singles bracket in 2023 and advanced to the second round before being defeated. Last year’s singles champion, senior Clare Schaefer of Whitefish Bay, joins forces with senior Charlotte Jelenchick to comprise the #4 seed with a 24-2 mark this fall. Shaefer also placed sixth at State in singles play in 2022 and 2023. Jelenchick qualified with a different partner last year and fell in their first-round match. The fifth-seeded team of seniors Taylor Peterson and Jordin Popp of Manitowoc Lincoln also have significant tournament experience. Peterson advanced to the second round with a different partner in each of the past three seasons, and Popp has qualified in singles play the past two years, falling in the opening round in both appearances. The duo enters the tournament with a 24-2 record. Sophomore Sydney Michalkiewicz and junior Rebekah Thomas of Neenah are seeded sixth with a 26-6 mark this season. Michalkiewicz qualified as a freshman last year and placed third with a different partner. Thomas also qualified with a different partner and fell in the first round in 2024. Junior Shriya Pusunuru and sophomore Cece Bonfilio of Brookfield East return to State for the second year in a row. They advanced to the second round a year ago before being eliminated from title contention. The tandem is seeded seventh with an 11-3 record. Senior Peyton Williams and junior Charlotte Meyer of Elkhorn both return with State experience. Williams is a four-time doubles qualifier. She fell in the first round with a different partner in 2022 and last year, and then advanced to the second round in 2023. Meyer advanced to the third round in singles play in 2023. The pair was issued the #8 seed with a 29-1 record. Senior Ella Alcalde and junior Miah Wong of Westosha Central are the ninth seed with a 33-2 record, which represents the most wins of any tandem in the bracket. Alcalde qualified with a different partner in 2023, which resulted in a first-round loss, and Wong advanced to the third round last year with a different partner and qualified in singles play in 2023, resulting in a loss in the first round. Additionally, senior Ritu Nair and junior Liliana Espinosa of Homestead are seeded #11 with a 21-10 record. Nair is a four-time doubles qualifier. With a different partner, she placed fifth last year and in 2023. She also advanced to the third round in singles play in 2022.
DIVISION 2 SINGLES NOTES: The top seed in the bracket was issued to junior Susanna Hundt of Chesterton Academy with a 26-0 record entering the tournament. She chases the title this season after placing third a year ago and sixth in 2023. Junior Sasha Quandt of Lourdes Academy is seeded #2 with a 15-0 mark this season. She finished fourth after advancing to the quarterfinals as a freshman in 2023. The third seed is freshman Annabelle Parker of Big Foot. She is in pursuit of a State title in her first season with a 19-1 record. Senior Misa Herriges of Shorewood is seeded fourth with a 22-11 this year after gaining experience at State by qualifying last season and advancing to the second round before falling from title contention. Senior Caroline Gerovac of New Berlin West is seeded #5 with a 20-8 mark. She attempts to improve on last season’s fifth-place finish. Senior Aubrie Cherek of East Troy returns to the tournament this season with a 26-3 record after qualifying last year and advancing to the second round. The seventh seed in the bracket is junior Ella Silenzi of Kenosha St. Joseph. She is a first-time qualifier with a 16-4 mark. Senior Therese Kern of Regis is the #8 seed possessing a 17-2 record. She returns to the tourney after advancing to the second round last year.
DIVISION 2 DOUBLES NOTES: Senior Adel Schneider and sophomore Vivie Auth of St. Mary Catholic are the returning defending champions. They are the top seed with a 24-0 record. They haven’t lost a match since becoming a duo last season, posting a 55-0 mark. Schneider also qualified in 2023 in singles play and fell in her first-round match after advancing to the second round as a freshman in 2022. A sophomore sister tandem is the #2 seed. Grace and Hope Saller of St. Thomas More advanced to the third round last season. They are back at State having compiled a 27-1 record this season. Sophomore Ava Miller and Parker Van Dusen of Kenosha St. Joseph are seeded #3 with a 20-2 tally. They qualified last season as freshmen and placed fourth. The fourth seed in the bracket belongs to seniors Gwen Rau and Peyton Peterson of Sheboygan Falls with a 15-3 record. They return to State for the second straight year, having advanced to the second round before being eliminated from title contention last season. The Edgewood tandem of senior Katie Kohls and junior Olivia Johnson was issued the #5 seed with a 21-1 mark. Kohls qualified in singles play last season and fell in her match in the first round. Seniors Claire Tian and Kate Allen of Brookfield Academy are seeded #6 with a 9-8 record. Tian fell in the opening round after qualifying in singles play last year. The senior Kohler duo of Charlotte Bullard and Melanie Pellegrino is seeded seventh with a 12-11 record. The tandem qualified last year as well, which resulted in a loss in the first round. The freshman team of Lizzie Ullman and Evie McWey of Catholic Memorial will experience State for the first time with a 16-7 record. They were issued the #8 seed in the bracket.
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