The Mt. Vernon girls tennis team and coaches celebrate after winning the sectional championship over Greenfield-Central on Friday, May 21.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — There are two things Mt. Vernon girls tennis coach Gabe Muterspaugh counts on every spring. The first is rain or at the very least a chance of it. The other is a desire to win.
As the defending Hancock County and sectional champions, the Marauders girls tennis program remains the team to beat, and this year’s group doesn’t intend to let that label slip away anytime soon.
“That’s what we try to bank on. If that changes, then I’m hoping it’s just the weather,” Muterspaugh laughed. “It’s a big motivator for us. In fact, we had our parent meeting (on Wednesday), and that was one of the first things I talked about. That’s what we build on, and I think we’ve done a very good job with that. Now, you have to have players, and we’ve been very fortunate to have some very good players over the years. But, that’s the culture. That’s the culture we always want.”
Last season, the Marauders finished with a record of 18-4 and captured their seventh consecutive sectional title — continuing the streak despite the canceled 2020 season due to COVID-19 — while also claiming their 11th straight county team title.
Mt. Vernon lost their top-singles player to graduation in Lydia Ruegsegger, who was named IHSTEC second team all-state as a senior, but they return four players with varsity and championship experience.
“I had some parents come up to me and tell me, the girls come home after practice and tell us, ‘They don’t want to lose the streak. They want to win the eighth sectional in a row. They want to win county.’ Yes. Those are expectations. That’s why we have a program. It’s not just a tennis team. It’s a tennis program,” said Muterspaugh, who has coached the MV girls team for 26 years.
At No. 2 singles, the Marauders will rely senior Carly Wilkerson, who shifted from No. 3 to No. 2 singles in the second half of last season. Wilkerson provided the decisive point for the Marauders during their 4-1 sectional finals victory over rival Greenfield-Central.
“Carly had a great season last year. She had the clincher at sectional for us, and she got so good, so we’re very excited for her,” Muterspaugh said. “We look for her to be rock solid as a senior.”
Senior Anna Hawks moves from doubles to No. 3 singles where freshman Kimberly Joubert is also vying for time.
At No. 1 singles, the Marauders are turning to freshman Kylie Brandes, a soccer standout that helped Mt. Vernon win its fifth Hoosier Heritage Conference team title in six years this past fall.
Brandes is the daughter of Jeff Brandes, the assistant principal at Mt. Vernon Middle School and former doubles partner with Muterspaugh when they both competed as teenagers for the Marauders.
“That’s been an easy transition. I’ve known Kylie my whole life,” Muterspaugh said. “Kylie is a stud, and she’s going to be one of our next great players, but she’s also a freshman. She has all the skillset to be great, to be one of the best at Mt. Vernon, and what’s funny is she could be one of the best at soccer, too. That’s how good of an athlete she is, and we expect big things from here.”
Multi-sport athletes anchor Mt. Vernon’s doubles teams, including seniors Madison Swingle and Shay Shipley, who are both committed to play collegiate soccer. Swingle (University of Cincinnati) and Shipley (Northern Kentucky) both starred on the sectional championship girls basketball team this winter and will start at No. 1 doubles.
“I’ve never met two girls that hate to lose as much as those two,” Muterspaugh said. “They’re a super athletic team, and we expect them to have a great season.”
At No. 2 doubles, senior Cecilia Bulmahn, who is committed to play volleyball at Southern Illinois, will team with senior Liv Lugo.
Bulmahn, an all-state volleyball player, and Swingle were key contributors for the tennis program as junior doubles competitors. Senior Meredith Johnson and sophomore Addison Lockwood will provide Muterspaugh and assistant coach Graham McMullen with additional talent and depth.
“That’s the first thing I say to the girls when we start. That’s what we’re going for, and if you don’t want to be a part of that, then you might want to find another sport because we’re going after it,” Muterspaugh said. “I think we have a group of girls that are ready to do that.”
The Marauders open the 2022 season today at home against HHC foe Pendleton Heights at 4:30 p.m. Mt. Vernon finished second in the conference last year behind champion Delta.
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL
The Greenfield-Central girls tennis team attempted to knock off the Marauders in last year’s sectional tournament, but the Cougars fell short, 4-1, in the finals at Mt. Vernon High School.
The Cougars won eight straight matches prior to the sectional finals, including a 3-2 semifinal victory over rival New Palestine to finish the campaign with a 10-4-1 record.
With five varsity returners, the Cougars are aiming for the same goal this spring.
Senior Zoe Starks, junior Jaclyn Layton and junior Brianna McConnell each will resume their spots as singles starters for head coach Michael Turpin. McConnell was a county champion at No. 2 singles last year as a sophomore.
Senior Leah Puckett and sophomore Hallie Smith are both back as doubles players after starting for the county runner-up Cougars.
Other returning upperclassmen include: senior Allison Lowe, senior Abigail Mulligan, senior Sarah Shininger, senior Braelyn Couch, junior Kammi Anderson and junior Lauren Chastain. All of them powered the Cougars JV team to an impressive 12-2 record in 2021.
NEW PALESTINE
The New Palestine girls tennis team finished 4-3 in HHC play last year and were third in the county led by singles player Abby Blachly.
As a junior, Blachly was second at county and was voted all-conference in 2021. She advanced as an individual in the state tournament a year ago and returns this spring as a senior at No. 1 singles.
At No. 2 singles, junior Oliva Hasenkamp, another returning starter, is back after posting a quality victory during the Dragons’ narrow 3-2 loss against HHC champion Delta last season.
Kaitlyn Mitchell is one of two freshmen newcomers for the Dragons. She brings quickness and a competitive nature at No. 3 singles.
The No. 1 doubles team will consist of junior Mia Knoop and sophomore Josie Harvey. Knoop suffered an in-season injury last year, which slowed her progress, but she also helped the Dragons take third at No. 1 doubles during the county tournament in 2021. Harvey logged time at No. 2 doubles last season.
Junior Maddie Potter and freshman Bethany Blachly will start at No. 2 doubles.
“We are a young team with only one senior at the varsity level. However, I believe we will be competitive and hopefully will have a good season,” New Palestine head coach Jean Graham said. “Our girls have great attitudes and are working hard in practice. I believe they are motivated to do well after watching all the success that the boys team experienced in the fall.”
This past fall, the Dragon boys tennis team won its 18th sectional title overall and advanced to its first team regional final since 2014. The group ended their campaign with a 19-4 record.
EASTERN HANCOCK
The Eastern Hancock girls tennis team will compete for a new head coach this spring.
Former New Palestine tennis coach Chris Hardin, who served as a varsity boys assistant at Eastern Hancock this fall, takes over for Tom Huff. Hardin carries 19 years of varsity coaching experience.
Chris Zeilinga, the Royals boys tennis coach, will partner with Hardin as a girls varsity assistant, in a role reversal. Zeilinga was a former assistant coach at Mt. Vernon before shifting over to Eastern Hancock.
“I’m really looking forward to this season. After coaching at New Pal for a decade, Chris Zeilinga and I have been focused on elevating the level of Eastern Hancock’s tennis program to rival the county schools,” Hardin said. “Our team has been focused on conditioning and mental toughness this spring and should make for an exciting season.”
The Royals will carry two foreign-exchanges in their lineup this year, beginning with Bianca Di Vittorio, a Division 2 competitive player from Italy, at No. 1 singles. Di Vittorio has spent the offseason competing against the Royals’ boys players and has trained at the Carmel Racquet Club this winter.
Violette Sagalowicz, an exchange-student from France, will start at No. 2 singles.
The Royals have five sophomores, two freshmen and a senior vying for the other spots.
Sophomore Tori Parker has impressed at No. 3 singles. As a freshman, she played at No. 1 doubles.
The No. 1 doubles team will include sophomore Savanah Hardin, who competed at No. 1 and No. 2 singles in 2021. Sophomore Lexi Swauger, a former No. 3 singles player, is projected to team with Hardin.
Sophomore Mikayla Hardy and senior Audrey Tice return at No. 2 doubles, but they are being pushed by sophomore Alissa Smithson, freshman Abby Bolding and freshman Abby Swauger.
