Highland’s Madrigal, Quinn roll on

Updated: June 10, 2011 8:16PM

INDIANAPOLIS — Once they got going, Highland’s Aby Madrigal and Liz Quinn couldn’t be stopped.

Once things started going against Michigan City’s Ashleigh Ellenwood and Lauren Palmer, they couldn’t stop them.

Madrigal and Quinn rolled past Indianapolis Cathedral’s Carlene Eckhart and Meghan Fry 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the girls tennis individual state tournament on Friday at North Central High School.

Moments later, Ellenwood and Palmer dropped a 5-7, 0-6 decision to Jasper’s Ashley Rogers and Elizabeth Theil.

Madrigal and Quinn will play in the state semifinals at 9 a.m. today against North Montgomery’s Kiera Bonebrake and Kelly Kyle (26-2), who defeated Center Grove’s Abby Long and Kimberly Marsh 6-3, 6-4 in Friday’s quarterfinals. Bonebrake and Kyle, a Butler volleyball recruit, have played all four of their high school seasons together — a solitary match at No. 2 doubles as freshmen, then No. 1 for the duration — and are their school’s first doubles team to compete in the state tournament.

Madrigal and Quinn become the first players from Highland — girls or boys, doubles or singles — to reach the individual state semifinals.

“I’m so excited, especially for Aby,” Trojans coach Adam Baez said. “In a way, she’s in her sister’s shadow, with Vany playing No. 1 singles. Now it’s Aby’s time to shine. And, of course, I’m excited for Liz, too. She’s part of a long lineage of doubles players. She’s truly a doubles specialist. She understands the doubles game. There might be better singles players, but there’s no one better in doubles.”

Madrigal and Quinn trailed 1-3 against Cathedral before reeling off five straight games to close out the first set. They then won the first four games of the second set, before finally losing a game, then winning two more to wrap up the match.

The Trojans (10-0) compared this victory to their 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 victory against South Bend St. Joseph’s in the LaPorte team semistate.

“It was like deja vu,” Madrigal said.

“We came out a little slow again, and we picked it up again,” Quinn said.

Both players were nervous early.

“You try not to be, but it’s still the state finals,” Quinn said. “Your adrenaline is pumping. But you just have to play your game, hit your shots, and make things happen.”

Madrigal and Quinn also made a habit of rallying in key games. With Highland trailing 2-3 in the first set, Cathedral (17-2) was serving at 40-0, before the Trojans broke to even the set at 3-3. Then, with the Trojans having taken a 4-3 lead, the Irish were serving again at 40-0, before Highland broke again for a 5-3 advantage. Madrigal proceeded to serve out the set.

The Trojans committed few unforced errors, vital against an opponent of Cathedral’s caliber.

“They didn’t make many mistakes, and we knew we couldn’t afford to make many mistakes either, because they would take advantage,” Madrigal said.

Ellenwood and Palmer held a 4-2 lead in the first set, but couldn’t hang on to the match against Jasper (25-0).

“It’s important psychologically. Overall, it’s a really big boost for the team that wins the first set,” Michigan City coach Norm Bruemmer said. “We had them on the ropes, and we let them back in it. They got momentum, and tennis is such a game of momentum.”

After the Wolves (18-4) lost the first game of the second set, Palmer could feel the match slipping away. “They just took over the net,” she said. “Everything is just power with them. We did the best we could.

“We fought out there. I expected to make it to the next round. It’s just hard.”

Palmer and Ellenwood agreed it was a major challenge to rebound, having invested so much effort and energy in that long first set, especially in the heat.

“Once we lost the first set, we got a little down on ourselves,” Ellenwood said.

It was an emotional day for Ellenwood, a junior, and Palmer, a senior, as they spent three seasons as doubles partners, including the last two at No. 1.

“I love coming to practice and playing with Ashleigh every day,” Palmer said. “It’s really fun. It’s just really said it’s over now.”

They combined for 52 victories, including going 15-6 last season.

“It was a tough day, but to get to this point, I’m very proud of them. … It’s been a wonderful doubles team, as good as any we’ve had,” said Bruemmer, who has coached for 25 seasons.

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