Six-Win Streak Propels Wisconsin Tennis to Historic Season Start
Flawless doubleheader victories over Bradley and Green Bay secure the Badgers the best opening to a campaign since the early nineties.
By Eduardo Salazar ·
The Badgers have now won every match they have entered this year.
Wisconsin’s women’s tennis squad maintained its perfect 6-0 record on Saturday after dominating a doubleheader in Madison. The team defeated Bradley in the first contest and then shut out Green Bay in the second, with both final scores standing at 7-0. These results mark the most successful start to a season for the program since 1992.
The Badgers established an early and decisive lead during the doubles portion of the matches. Freshman MaryAnn Rompf and senior Kelsey Grambeau defeated Theresa Tebon and Tallie Piaskowski with a 6-1 victory. Later, sophomore Melissa Pick and freshman Lexi Keberle added another clean sweep, beating Maria Neff and Samm Pedersen 6-0.
Wisconsin’s dominance continued into the singles competition, where no player on the team lost a set. Lexi Keberle, competing at the first singles position, won against Tebon with scores of 6-1 and 6-1. Keberle has now recorded a combined 7-0 record across both singles and doubles matches.
The other singles matches followed a similar pattern of control. MaryAnn Rompf defeated Piaskowski 6-3 and 6-1, while Michelle Linden beat Sterre Tijssens 6-1 and 6-0. Melissa Pick shut out Maria Neff 6-0 in both sets. Christina Zordani closed the match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Pedersen, improving her own season singles record to 5-0.
Head coach Kelcy McKenna attributed the team’s success to its focus on effort, attitude, and energy. She noted that these three elements are critical to the program’s achievements. McKenna emphasized that the squad must continue to concentrate on the small details in practice and daily drills to prepare for the upcoming National Indoors and the remainder of the spring season.
Despite the perfect record, the coach identified specific areas for improvement, particularly in doubles play. McKenna stated that the team needs to be more aggressive on serves and returns and hit specific targets during service games. She also stressed the importance of maintaining momentum when transitioning from a doubles win into singles, advising the players to remain gritty and avoid giving away free points.
The Badgers will next have the opportunity to extend their winning streak when they host the National Team Indoor Championship from February 9 to February 12. The team aims to carry this level of performance into the indoor season.
Source: The Daily Cardinal
