Singles should be strong point for SPASH girls tennis By MIKE KEMMETER of The Gazette With a tough and experienced singles lineup plus a handful of players to make up the doubles lineup, the Stevens Point Area Senior High girls tennis team hopes to be among the top teams in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The Panthers, who won the Valley team title and were undefeated against conference foes in the regular season last year, lost defending Valley conference No. 1 singles champion Ann Howley and several other seniors to graduation. But coach Nancy Schmidt believes her team will be in the race. "There are going to be some strong teams in our conference," said Schmidt, mentioning Wausau West, Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield. "I think we'll be right up there. I think our conference has been getting stronger overall. I hope that we're right up in the top again. "We have depth on the team and experience. They're a hard-working group." Sophomore Lauren Hom, who played No. 2 singles much of last season, moves up to the No. 1 slot. Junior Meghan Palmer is at No. 2 after spending most of last year at No. 3 and senior Stefani VanKleef also moves up a spot to No. 3. Junior Sarah Wimmer will play at No. 4. Hom and Palmer won the No. 1 doubles title at conference and advanced to the state meet a year ago. VanKleef captured the Valley No. 4 singles title and also won a sectional title last season. "We've got a lot of strength and a lot of depth in our singles. We should do well in the conference," Schmidt said. Who will play where is still up in the air for SPASH's three doubles spots. Seniors Rheanna Ruedebusch and Jessie Palmer were at No. 1 doubles when the team opened its season Wednesday in the SPASH Invitational. Also vying for spots in the doubles slots are seniors Colleen Dougherty and Nikki Meyer; juniors Alexis Edberg, Jacki Baier and Jenna Weinbauer; sophomore Jill Saddison; and freshman Maria Davis. "We have a lot of people who can play doubles," Schmidt said. "We're trying to put together some lineups that work well. They're not really etched in stone yet." In its season opener, Hom and Palmer finished first at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively. VanKleef was second at No. 3 and Sarah Wimmer won the consolation championship at No. 4. The No. 2 doubles team of Dougherty and Baier, and the No. 3 doubles team of Edberg and Saddison won medals. Pacelli The Cardinals may be in the WIAA this season, but Pacelli will actually face many of the same teams from the school's days in the WISAA. No other schools in the Central Wisconsin Conference, Pacelli's new conference, have a girls tennis team. To fill their schedule, the Cardinals will face former WISAA schools, including several members of the old Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference - Wausau Newman, Marshfield Columbus, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption and Eau Claire Regis. "We play pretty much the same schools as before but there is no conference meet," Pacelli coach Mary Ann Nigbor said. With no conference meet, Pacelli will move right into its WIAA subsectional, at Durand October 2. "Our goal is to do well and just improve as the season goes along," Nigbor said. "I want all of these players to push themselves to another level. "They're willing to learn and able to learn. I want them to be the best tennis players they can be." Leading the way for Pacelli is senior Sara Strnad, returns at No. 1 singles. Junior Aerin Spitz is slated at No. 2 singles and Jennifer Mitchell opens the season at No. 3. In doubles play, senior Abby Mallek and junior Mandy Clifford competed at No. 1 in the team's first dual meet. Returnees Emily Swenson, a junior, and Denise Lukasewski, a sophomore and junior newcomers Nicki Houck and Erin McCann will also play doubles. Pacelli opened its season Monday at Baraboo, dropping a dual match 6-0.