By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
For the past 17 years, the East Troy girls tennis team has been represented at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 State Tournament.
And earlier this week, the Trojans had a chance to extend that streak another year.
East Troy sophomore Lora Leach advanced from the subsectional round Monday afternoon and competed Wednesday at Whitewater with a berth to state on the line. Results were not available at press time.
Leach defeated Edgerton’s Emily Mogden 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 in her only subsectional matchup. She opened sectional action Wednesday against Brookfield Academy’s Michelle Sikes, who was fourth at state last year.
“I’m proud of how much Lora has worked and (how she has) competed very well at the No. 1 spot,” East Troy coach Dave Lindow said.
The rest of the East Troy squad found the going tough Monday, as their 2014 seasons came to an end.
Winning in the opening round were senior Kora Gaspervich at No. 1 singles, who beat Edgerton’s Danielle Erb 6-2, 6-4, but fell 0-6, 2-6 to Edgewood’s Jessica Inman; and freshman Anna Stephan at No. 4 singles, who beat Monroe’s Ashley Palec 6-2, 6-3, but fell to McFarland’s Natalie Robb, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6.
Gaspervich finished her East Troy career with 51 singles victories.
“She played well year,” Lindow said.
Stephan definitely has a bright future with the program, Lindow said.
“She’s another solid freshman who will be a pivotal part of our team the next three years,” he said. “She showed great improvement over the season.”
Dropping their only matches of the day were freshman Alison Barth at No. 3 singles, 0-6, 2-6 to Edgewood’s Brita Hyde; the No. 1 doubles team of junior Vanessa Dingman and senior Ariel Baxter, 3-6, 4-6 to McFarland; the No. 2 team of junior Hunter Scheel and sophomore Claudia Pott, 3-6, 2-6 to Jefferson; and the No. 3 team of sophomore Kelly Griffa and freshman Victoria Pott, 4-6, 4-6 to McFarland.
Edgewood won the team title with 24 points, followed by McFarland with 16, Jefferson and Whitewater with 10, East Troy and Big Foot with eight, Monroe with four and Edgerton and Catholic Central with zero.
Lindow was proud of his team’s effort.
“The kids had a great year,” he said. “A lot of them played up against upperclassmen. I’m looking forward to next year. The future looks bright.”
