Competition for No. 1 singles finally decided

The time to decide which player would be at No. 1 singles the remainder of the season for the Walther Lutheran tennis team had arrived.

Walther coach Barb Korntheuer has two equally talented players to select from in senior Allison Korenchan and junior Deanna Richardson.

Challenge matches in practice did nothing to settle the issue without one player being able to step up and dominate the other.

Korntheuer sat down with the two players to solve the dilemma.

The end result from the meeting was Korenchan moving up to No. 1 for the rest of the season and Richardson playing No. 2.

"They were both pretty quiet until they realized I was serious about them helping to make the decision," Korntheuer said. "It would have been a disaster if everybody wasn't on board with it."

The timing of the decision meant Korenchan would play No. 1 singles against Trinity in a nonconference match on Sept. 3.

The Broncos lost their first match of the season in a 4-1 setback against Trinity.

Korenchan made her debut at the top of the lineup against Trinity junior Amanda Nunez, who has qualified for State in each of the last two years.

Korenchan gave it her best effort, but came up short in a 6-1, 6-0 loss. Richardson lost 7-5 in a third-set tie-breaker at second singles after splitting the first two sets.

Taneisha Prell and Meredith Schaefer picked up the lone win for Walther with a 6-0, 6-4 decision at third doubles.

Stephanie Garcia and Louise Grant lost 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles, while Eme Abbe and Kate Jaruseski fell 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles.