Girls tennis team racks up another win
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
A Rock Valley Conference dual meet Sept. 6 with visiting Jefferson put the East Troy High School girls tennis team in a perfect position to make a huge statement.
And that’s just what the Trojans did.
East Troy moved its season record to 20-0 overall and 3-0 in the RVC with a hard-fought 4-3 win over the defending RVC champions.
“It was really close to say the least,” East Troy coach Dave Lindow said. “They (are) the defending conference champions. I knew it would be very close. I’m really proud of the girls who battled all the way until the end.”
East Troy swept the doubles, led by the senior No. 1 duo of Mackenzie Lindow and Erin Rice, who defeated Karyn Duddeck and Shampaine Wilson, 6-0, 6-1.
Lindow-Rice improved to 20-0 overall.
At No. 2 doubles, the team of seniors Allison Slusar and Belle Verbeten also moved to 20-0 with a 6-0, 6-2 win over the Jefferson team of Jenna Dinkel and Lizzie Meyers.
“It’s really nice to have experienced doubles teams back from last year,” Dave Lindow said. “They are all seniors and play the correct shots. I’m looking forward to seeing them keep improving and getting better in the last month of the season.”
East Troy’s No. 3 doubles team of sophomore Emma Scurek and senior Paige Metcalf completed the sweep with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Freedom Vernon and Meghan Magner.
Scurek-Metcalf are now 10-1 overall.
“They are doing a great job keeping the ball in play,” Lindow said. “They need to keep getting better and playing more aggressively.”
East Troy’s fourth victory came at No. 2 singles, as tri-captain Sydney Raddeman defeated Jefferson’s Anna Kallsen, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
The win improved Raddeman to 19-1.
“Syd has been nothing but impressive this season,” Lindow said. “She came out a few weeks into the season a year ago and played No. 4 singles. She has really worked hard and is having a great season.”
Dropping matches to the Eagles were sophomore Jessica Tess at No. 1 singles, 0-6, 1-6 to Morgan Graf; junior Mikayla Lamping at No. 3, 4-6, 2-6 to Eryn Warner; and freshman Izzy Galluzo, 6-4, 6-7 (5), (10-12) to Laura Traver.
The victory not only put the Trojans alone in first place, but it kept a traveling trophy in East Troy’s possession, Lindow said.
Lindow and Jefferson coach Steve Rogers set up the traveling trophy between the squads to help the friendly competition between the schools. Jefferson leads the overall series, 13-12, the past 25 seasons.
East Troy traveled to McFarland on Tuesday to face the Spartans, who are tied with Jefferson at 2-1 in the RVC. The Trojans closed out their dual schedule Thursday at Big Foot.
With the RVC Tournament looming next Thursday at UW-Whitewater, now is the time for the Trojans to take their game to an even higher level, Lindow said.
“We really need to continue to improve each and every day this month and finish what we started a year ago after the conference meet (and) finishing second to Jefferson,” he said. “I’m really proud of this team, and I’m sure they will continue to work hard.”
