Spring Break
'Golds prepare for spring after strong fall campaign
Women's tennis sets sights on Midwest Invitational
Andy Weise
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Sports
By Andy Weise
weiseak@uwec.edu
Before the 2004-05 season, the last time the UW-Eau Claire women's tennis team lost more than 10 matches was the 1991-92 season. The Blugolds finished out with 14-11-1 (04-05) and 15-11 (05-06) records the last two years but this fall, coach Craig Monson got his team back on track finishing with a 20-4 overall record.
While the Blugolds took second place to UW-La Crosse at the WIAC championships in October, Monson sees the program heading back in the right direction and will try to continue the winning ways as the spring season begins this weekend on Saturday against St. Scholastica (Minn.).
"(At the WIAC championships) we played great - (we were) really a match away from beating La Crosse," he said. "They had beaten us the week before, but I was quite happy with how we did."
Senior Laura Geissler, the only senior on the team now with senior Alli Taplin injured and not playing this spring, said the team was disappointed losing to La Crosse, but she thought the fall season went very well.
"(La Crosse) really played well and they were the better team," she said. "You always want to win but we're young.
We didn't know what to expect this year - (we had) lots of freshmen. (It was) the best season since I was a freshman and we were very proud."
Aside from Geissler, the team consists of five juniors and five freshmen. Geissler said the team should be as good, if not better, in the future years. Freshman Brenna McCormick came out of WIAC play with two first places in singles and doubles. She won the No. 2 doubles bracket with junior Kristie Carlson as well as the No. 6 singles bracket.
Monson, who was the coach of the year in the WIAC, said practices started last week for the spring season. He also said the main goal of the spring season is to qualify for the Midwest Invitational tournament in Madison in April. The 'Golds currently hold the No. 13 ranking in the region and the top 16 teams will qualify for this tournament. Monson pointed out that schools from Minnesota have their main seasons in the spring so rankings could adjust.
weiseak@uwec.edu
Before the 2004-05 season, the last time the UW-Eau Claire women's tennis team lost more than 10 matches was the 1991-92 season. The Blugolds finished out with 14-11-1 (04-05) and 15-11 (05-06) records the last two years but this fall, coach Craig Monson got his team back on track finishing with a 20-4 overall record.
While the Blugolds took second place to UW-La Crosse at the WIAC championships in October, Monson sees the program heading back in the right direction and will try to continue the winning ways as the spring season begins this weekend on Saturday against St. Scholastica (Minn.).
"(At the WIAC championships) we played great - (we were) really a match away from beating La Crosse," he said. "They had beaten us the week before, but I was quite happy with how we did."
Senior Laura Geissler, the only senior on the team now with senior Alli Taplin injured and not playing this spring, said the team was disappointed losing to La Crosse, but she thought the fall season went very well.
"(La Crosse) really played well and they were the better team," she said. "You always want to win but we're young.
We didn't know what to expect this year - (we had) lots of freshmen. (It was) the best season since I was a freshman and we were very proud."
Aside from Geissler, the team consists of five juniors and five freshmen. Geissler said the team should be as good, if not better, in the future years. Freshman Brenna McCormick came out of WIAC play with two first places in singles and doubles. She won the No. 2 doubles bracket with junior Kristie Carlson as well as the No. 6 singles bracket.
Monson, who was the coach of the year in the WIAC, said practices started last week for the spring season. He also said the main goal of the spring season is to qualify for the Midwest Invitational tournament in Madison in April. The 'Golds currently hold the No. 13 ranking in the region and the top 16 teams will qualify for this tournament. Monson pointed out that schools from Minnesota have their main seasons in the spring so rankings could adjust.
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