Badgers Post 14 Straight Match Wins to Start Best Season Since 1992

Wisconsin women's tennis defeated Bradley and Green Bay by identical 7-0 scores on Saturday, extending its unbeaten streak to six wins. The doubleheader result gives the Badgers their best season start since 1992.

The team recorded 14 consecutive match wins across the two contests. No Wisconsin player dropped a set in singles. Green Bay fielded only five players in the second match, a shortage that limited its ability to compete against the Badgers' depth.

The doubles lineup established the lead for the team. Freshman MaryAnn Rompf and senior Kelsey Grambeau defeated Theresa Tebon and Tallie Piaskowski 6-1. Sophomore Melissa Pick and freshman Lexi Keberle followed with a 6-0 victory over Maria Neff and Samm Pedersen.

Singles matches mirrored the dominant scorelines. Keberle, playing at first singles, beat Tebon 6-1, 6-1. She now holds a combined record of 7-0 in both singles and doubles. Rompf won the second singles match against Piaskowski 6-3, 6-1. Michelle Linden defeated Sterre Tijssens 6-1, 6-0 at third singles. Pick shut out Neff 6-0, 6-0. Christina Zordani beat Pedersen 6-0, 6-1 at fifth singles, improving her individual record to 5-0.

Head coach Kelcy McKenna attributed the performance to the team's control over effort and attitude. "They did a great job with the controlables: their attitude, their effort and their energy," McKenna said. "Those three things are extremely important to our success."

McKenna identified specific areas for improvement before the next major event. She noted that the team must clean up doubles serves and returns to maintain aggressive positioning. "We have to make sure as we move into singles, if we do have the doubles point, that we carry the momentum with us and try to be gritty and not give away free points," she said.

The Badgers will next play from Feb. 9-12 when they host the National Team Indoor Championship.