Thunderbirds Finish 4th in Conference; 1 & 2 Doubles Teams Capture 3rd Place Honors

The Thunderbirds participated in the Badger Conference Tournament held at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, WI, on September 26th and 27th. In this highly competitive tournament, the Thunderbirds delivered remarkable performances in both singles and doubles events, placing 4th overall in the Badger Large. In the singles category, Leah Kierzek showed resilience and skill at the #1 singles position. Kierzek secured a thrilling victory in a third-set tiebreak against Reedsburg before narrowly falling in another third-set tiebreak in the second round against McFarland. At the #2 singles spot, Gigi Heiner replicated a similar storyline by winning her initial match against Milton but was eventually outplayed by Waunakee in the second round. The doubles teams also demonstrated exemplary teamwork. The #1 doubles team, Willa Scanlan and Mallory Olson, entered as the #4 seed and successfully overcame Reedsburg and Watertown, advancing to the competition on Saturday. Despite a loss to Edgewood, they clinched a commendable 3rd place by defeating McFarland. The #2 doubles team, Lauren Jauch and Layla Puttkamer, ranked #5, also showed exceptional determination by defeating Portage and Sauk Prairie, securing yet another 3rd place after a fierce match against Edgewood, resolved in a third-set tiebreak. The #3 doubles duo, Ava Ruefer and Makenna Mann, managed a win against Reedsburg but were halted by Monona Grove in the second round. Achieving significant career milestones, Leah Kierzek reached 40 career wins, while Mallory Olson also attained the same achievement during the tournament. Layla and Willa elevated their total victories to surpass 30 career wins. The Thunderbirds' next challenge will be at the Subsectional Tournament set for October 6, 2025. They have wrapped up their dual matches for the year and will end with a record of 14-4 this season.