LA CROSSE — The Aquinas High School girls tennis team followed up its unbeaten MVC dual season by winning five flights and the season championship during the conference tournament at the Green Island Tennis Center on Monday.
Senior Tenzin Nelson, senior Kaitlyn McGovern, junior Eva Willenbring and sophomore Alivia Ritter won singles championships for the Blugolds, and seniors Elly Binsfield and Elizabeth Hancock teamed up for a doubles title as they completed the season with a team score of 73 points.
Onalaska (68) was second, Tomah (40) third, Central (28) fourth, Holmen (23) fifth, Logan (19.5) sixth and Sparta (12) seventh.
Aquinas beat Onalaska 5-2 in its final dual to secure the unbeaten record, then outscored the Hilltoppers by three points in the tournament to stretch its season advantage a bit.
Nelson (25-1) won a semifinal match in straight sets to advance to a No. 1 singles final against Mara Klein (15-7) for the second time in six days for the title.
McGovern (21-4) also swept her semifinal opponent and came from behind to beat Onalaska senior Bella Cromheecke (14-4) 1-6, 6-1, 10-5 in the championship match at No. 2 singles.
Willenbring (22-2) won both of her matches in straight sets, picking up a championship win over Onalaska sophomore Juliana Dunn (15-2) by scores of 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3.
Ritter (24-1) blanked her semifinal opponents 6-0, 6-0, then pulled out a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Onalaska sophomore Claire Fortun (20-2).
Binsfield and Hancock won their semifinal and championship matches by identical 6-1, 6-1 scores, knocking off Onalaska’s Kaarina Dunn and Nou Qu Yang (8-7) for the title.
Onalaska picked up the two remaining flight victories at No 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Senior Caroline Clark and junior Tsion Benusa (11-5) won twice in straight sets at No 1 doubles and pulled out a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Tomah’s Lauren Stephens and Sophia Hayes.
Junior Claire Topolski and sophomore Shashi Getachew won the No. 2 doubles bracket for the Hilltoppers with a 6-3, 7-5 championship victory over Aquinas juniors Lyla Conway and Ryann Klar.
Central was led by a third-place finish from Taylor Herold and Cat Caucutt at No. 2 doubles, and Holmen went home with three third-place performances.
Senior Parc Tande bounced back from a semifinal loss to Nelson to hand Central’s Sophie Ackerman a 6-0, 6-1 loss in their placement match at No. 1 singles, and the No. 1 doubles team of senior Paula Barlow and sophomore Emmeline Barnes won twice by tiebreaker for its third-place finish.
Barlow and Barnes upset the Aquinas team of Hadley Alderson and Hannah Miller 2-6, 6-4, 10-7 in the first round and Sparta’s Brenna Johnson and Paige Ehlinger 1-6, 7-5, 11-9 for third place. Senior Sophia Coon was also a third-place finisher for the Vikings at No. 2 singles after beating Logan’s Maria Weber 6-4, 6-1 in the third-place matchup.
Logan was led by Weber’s fourth place at No. 2 singles.
BOYS SOCCER
Aquinas 7, Nekoosa 0
NEKOOSA — The Blugolds blanked the Papermakers for a nonconference road victory.
Cal Smith and Connor Benz each scored twice for Aquinas, which also received goals from Harry Griffith, Charles Endrizzi and Adiel Onyeabor.
Cosmo Crockett, Smith, Jonny Woolever and Benz were each credited with an assist.
