Wildcat Pair Wins State Doubles Championship

Riley Kelly and Rebecca Buchanan of are Wisconsin state tennis champions. 

The two seniors captured the Division 2 Individual State Tennis Doubles Championship Saturday in Madison. In an arduous match, Kelly and Buchanan defeated junior Abby Halla and senior Jane Salutz of Roncalli High School 7-6 (1) and 6-4 in the finals to take the state title.

The USM duo won three matches to get to the finals. Seeded second, Kelly and Buchanan received a bye in the first round of the tournament held Thursday night.  In the second round on Friday morning, Buchanan and Kelly had little trouble defeating Two Rivers’ juniors Taylor Czekala and Lindsay Fish 6-2, 6-2. 

In the quarterfinals Friday afternoon, Kelly and Buchanan faced freshman Annabel Ware and sophomore Margaret Zimmerman of The Prairie School. Kelly and Buchahn dispatched them by a 6-0, 6-2 score.

The Wildcat pair then faced senior Rachel Wabers and junior Lauren Keller of Madison Edgewood in the semi-finals Saturday morning and beat them 6-3, 6-3 to head into the finals and the chance to become the state champs. They made good on the opportunity. As a result, they brought medals and a trophy emblematic of a state championship back to Milwaukee.

Editor's Note: Thomas Geilfuss is the sports information coordinator for USM.