Oregon seniors Celia Brink and Hayley Swenson will close out their careers at the WIAA Division 1 doubles state tournament.
Brink and Swenson (8-9) earned one of the 16 special qualifying berths to the state tournament. More than half of Brink and Swenson’s losses have come to state qualifiers.
“I think they very much proved they belong there,” Oregon coach Ethan Uhlmann said. “I think they can go out there regardless of the seed and compete with anyone.”
Brink and Swenson lost a three-set nailbiter to Badger’s Maggie Howe and Sofia Klesmith in the Division 1 Vel Phillips Memorial sectional on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
Brink and Swenson lost the first set 7-5 and came back to win the second set 6-2. The Badger duo won the 10-point tiebreaker in the third set 10-4.
Brink and Swenson will play a first-round match at state on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
“I think just playing on that stage and playing good tennis will be something they remember forever,” Uhlmann said.
Oregon finished fourth in the 17-team sectional with 21 points.
Oregon sophomore McKinley Struckmeyer finished second place at the WIAA Division 1 Vel Phillips Memorial sectional on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.
Photo by Mark Nesbitt
Oregon sophomore McKinley Struckmeyer finished second place at No. 4 singles at the sectional. The Panthers’ No. 3 doubles team of sophomore Josi Brink and senior Chayse Wheeler took third place and junior Tessa Williamson at No. 2 singles placed fourth.
Struckmeyer (14-9) defeated Waterford’s Ava Schreck 6-1, 6-2. She then won five games in a 6-1, 6-4 loss to Verona’s Norah Nick, who leads the state in wins (33).
“I think it will be a positive development,” Uhlmann said of Struckmeyer’s improvement as a player.
Oregon sophomore Josi Brink hits a winner at the net in a No. 3 doubles match at the WIAA Division 1 Vel Phillips Memorial sectional.
Photo by Mark Nesbitt
At No. 3 doubles, Josi Brink and Wheeler edged Verona’s Katherine Andres and Grace Danielson 6-4, 7-5 in a third-place match. The Panthers’ No. 3 doubles tandem lost a three-set thriller in the first round of the sectional. Josi Brink and Wheeler topped Elkhorn’s Addison Schliepp and Kate Paddock 6-3 in the first set. Schliepp and Paddock won the next set 6-2 and pulled out a nail-biting 10-point tiebreaker, 11-9.
Elkhorn freshman Lia Greving (30-1) defeated Williamson 6-0, 6-1. Mukwonago sophomore Evangeline Saunders clipped Williamson 6-4, 7-6. Williamson finished the season 20-5.
“I think the last couple of years we have been a program on the rise and stepped up when it matters most,” Uhlmann said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Oregon High School tennis players qualified for the WIAA Division 1 state tournament?
Oregon High School seniors Celia Brink and Hayoley Swenson qualified for the WIAA Division 1 doubles state tournament. Playing as the Panthers’ No. 1 doubles team, they earned one of the 16 special qualifying berths after finishing their season with an 8-9 record.
How did the Oregon Panthers tennis team perform at the Vel Phillips Memorial sectional?
The Oregon Panthers finished in fourth place out of 17 teams at the sectional, scoring 21 points. In addition to Brink and Swenson’s state-qualifying run, sophomore McKinley Struckmeyer took second place at No. 4 singles, the No. 3 doubles team of Josi Brink and Chayse Wheeler placed third and junior Tessa Williamson finished fourth at No. 2 singles.
When and where does the Oregon No. 1 doubles team of Celia Brink and Hayley Swenson play next?
The first-round matches of the state tournament will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.