Netters advance five flights

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Raiders’ No. 1 singles player Morgan Van Allen and the No. 1 doubles team of Casey Fall and Jenny Fassbinder are one win away from advancing to next week’s WIAA State Girls’ Tennis Tournament in Madison after taking care of business at Monday’s subsectional in Eau Claire.

Van Allen, Fall and Fassbinder will be joined by teammates Kelsie Hines, Alex Johnson, Bailey Knight, Sydney Squires and Julia Doulas at Wednesday’s (Oct. 5) sectional in Stevens Point with berths at the state tournament on the line.

Van Allen and the team of Fall and Fassbinder need just one win to qualify for state while the rest of the Raiders need to pick up a pair of wins.

All told, the Raiders will be represented in five of seven flights at the Stevens Point Sectional.

“Everyone played up to or exceeded their seeded position, so I was happy to get five flights through to sectionals,” Raider coach Dave Dahl said.

Van Allen posted a 6-0, 6-1 win over her Rice lake opponent Monday to advance while Fall and Fassbinder posted a 6-3, 6-3 win over their opponents from Rice Lake to move on.

Hines needed two wins at No. 4 singles and earned them both, defeating Superior 6-0, 6-2 and New Richmond 6-0, 6-0.

The No. 2 doubles team of Alex Johnson and Bailey Knight also won twice, defeating New Richmond 7-6, 6-1 and Chippewa Falls 6-3, 6-4 to move on. At No. 3 doubles, Squires and Douglas teamed up for a 6-2, 6-2 win over Eau Claire North and a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Menomonie to advance.

The Raiders are in second place after the subsectional round with 20 points. Eau Claire Memorial leads with 24.

Racheal Knoke won her opening match, 6-4, 6-2 over Superior before losing to her Eau Claire Memorial opponent, 0-6, 0-6 to end her season. At No. 3 singles, Ally Kreye also won her opening round match, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 against New Richmond before ending her season with a 3-6, 3-6 loss to Menomonie.

“It was tough to see Racheal and Ally play their final match of the season,” Dahl said. “Racheal has contributed so much over the past three years and had many great wins. It was nice to see Ally get a chance at the varsity level this year. Her win over the second seeded girl from New Richmond today was definitely the highlight of our day. These are two first class kids who we’ll really miss.”

Dahl said the rest of the Raiders are excited to be playing in the sectional.

“Casey and Jenny, along with Morgan, are one win away from qualifying for the state tournament, he noted. “If Alex and Bailey can pull off a couple more wins, they’ll be headed to state as well. So there’s plenty at stake in Stevens Point. The whole bunch is really looking forward to the challenge.”

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