MANKATO - The River Valley girls' tennis team came home from Saturday's Gopher-Valley Conference Tournament at Mankato East High School with four second-place finishes, two thirds and a fourth. Regular season conference champion United South Central was the big winner, hauling in five individual championships.
River Valley took second place at No. 2 singles (Becky Roiger), No. 3 singles (Lauren Laffen) and No. 4 singles (Natalie Stevens) along with No. 3 doubles (Katelyn Johnson and Alex Chaney). The Wildcats picked up third-place finishes at No. 1 singles (Kallie Smith) and at No. 1 doubles (Emily Johnson and Kalyn Haas) and a fourth-place finish with two tough losses at No. 2 doubles (Marlayna Evers and Erika Ries).
All-Conference awards were also handed out, based on both regular season and tournament results. Wildcats picking up awards were Kallie Smith (All-Conference), Becky Roiger (All-Conference) and Lauren Laffen (All-Conference Honorable Mention).
River Valley starts Section 3A play on Thursday as the No. 6 seed and will travel to Luverne for a 4 p.m. match.
River Valley Results (RV=River Valley, MR=Maple River, MCW=Martin County West, USC=United South Central)
1S First Round: Sam Bammert (MR) def Kallie Smith (RV) 6-2, 6-3
1S Consolation: Kallie Smith (RV) def Kelci Russenberger (MCW) 8-2
2S First Round: Becky Roiger (RV) def Tori Russenberger (MCW) 6-2, 6-2
2S Championship: Linsey Thisius (USC) def Becky Roiger (RV) 6-3, 6-3
3S First Round: Lauren Laffen (RV) def Megan Langworthy (MR) 6-0, 6-3
3S Championship: Julia Stenzel (USC) def Lauren Laffen (RV) 6-2, 6-0
4S First Round: Natalie Stevens (RV) def Hannah Proehl (MR) 6-4, 6-2
4S Championship: Ali Wood (USC) def Natalie Stevens (RV) xxxxxxxxxxxx
1D First Round: Monica Bye/Kia Legred (USC) def Emily Johnson/Kalyn Haas (RV) 6-2, 6-0
1D Consolation: Emily Johnson/Kalyn Haas (RV) def Sam Beto/Rachael Rigdon (MR) 8-1
2D First Round: Joyce Rubio/Angela Bixby (USC) def Marlayna Evers/Erika Ries (RV) 6-4, 4-6, 10-4
2D Consolation: KaLeigh Russenberger/Jen Hagen (MCW) def Marlayna Evers/Erika Ries (RV) 8-7
3D First Round: Alex Chaney/Katelyn Johnson (RV) def Veronica Schindler/Leah Meyer (USC) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 11-9
3D Championship: Cassie Barkosky/Stephanie Beto (MR) def Alex Chaney/Katelyn Johnson (RV) 6-4, 7-5
Overall Results (ordered by finish)
1S: Claire Christian (USC), Sam Bammert (MR), Kallie Smith (RV), Kelci Russenberger (MCW)
2S: Linsey Thisius (USC), Becky Roiger (RV),Tori Russenberger (MCW), Erin Hislop (MR)
3S: Julia Stenzel (USC), Lauren Laffen (RV), Megan Langworthy (MR), Logan Weber (MCW)
4S: Ali Wood (USC), Natalie Stevens (RV), Hannah Proehl (MR), Magen Suter (MCW)
1D: Monica Bye/Kia Legred (USC), Emily Lawrence/Shawna Dressen (MCW), Emily Johnson/Kalyn Haas (RV), Sam Beto/Rachael Rigdon (MR)
2D: KaLeigh Russenberger/Jen Hagen (MCW), Joyce Rubio/Angela Bixby (USC), Brittany Groskreutz/Alissa Groskreutz (MR), Marlayna Evers/Erika Ries (RV)
3D: Cassie Barkosky/Stephanie Beto (MR), Alex Chaney/Katelyn Johnson (RV), Ily Schlenk/Alisa Russenberger (MCW), Veronica Schindler/Leah Meyer (USC)
All Conference and Honorable Mention
AC: Claire Christian (USC)
AC: Kallie Smith (RV)
AC: Shawna Dressen (MCW)
AC: Emily Lawrence (MCW)
AC: Becky Roiger (RV)
AC: Sam Bammert (MR)
AC: Linsey Thisius (USC)
AC: Julia Stenzel (USC)
AC: Monica Bye (USC)
AC: Kia Legred (USC)
AC: KaLeigh Russenberger (MCW)
AC: Jennifer Hagen (MCW)
HM: Lauren Laffen (RV)
HM: Kelcie Russenberger (MCW)
HM: Ali Wood (USC)
HM: Erin Hislop (MR)