Badgers Tennis: Six-Game Winning Streak Continues

The Wisconsin women's tennis squad maintained its flawless season record on Saturday by winning two consecutive matches. The Badgers defeated both Bradley and Green Bay with identical 7-0 scores, extending their winning streak to six games.

This performance marks the best start to a season for the program since 1992. The second matchup against Green Bay was complicated by the opponent's limited roster, as only five players were available to compete. Despite the smaller lineup, Green Bay struggled to keep up with the pace set by Wisconsin.

Wisconsin established early dominance in the doubles portion of the contest. A team consisting of freshman MaryAnn Rompf and senior Kelsey Grambeau defeated Theresa Tebon and Tallie Piaskowski with a 6-1 score. Following that, sophomore Melissa Pick and freshman Lexi Keberle secured a 6-0 victory over Maria Neff and Samm Pedersen.

The strong start in doubles set the stage for a perfect day in singles play, where no Wisconsin player lost a single set. Keberle, competing in first singles, defeated Tebon with scores of 6-1 and 6-1. She now holds a combined record of 7-0 in both singles and doubles competition this season.

Rompf claimed the second singles point by defeating Piaskowski 6-3 and 6-1. Michelle Linden won the third match against Sterre Tijssens, 6-1 and 6-0. Pick followed with a 6-0 and 6-0 win over Neff. Christina Zordani closed out the scoring in fifth singles, beating Pedersen 6-0 and 6-1 to improve her personal singles record to 5-0.

Head coach Kelcy McKenna attributed the victory to the team's focus on manageable factors such as attitude, effort, and energy. She emphasized that these elements are critical to their ongoing success. McKenna noted that the team must continue to refine their practice habits, ensuring they manage daily details effectively to prepare for the upcoming National Indoors and the remainder of the spring season.

Despite the perfect record, the coach identified areas for improvement, particularly in doubles consistency. She stated that the team needs to sharpen their serves and returns to become the first aggressive unit. McKenna also stressed the importance of protecting leads and carrying momentum into singles matches without giving away free points. The Badgers will look to extend their unbeaten run when they host the National Team Indoor Championship from February 9 to 12.