2012 Badminton Weekly Highlights
Week Eight
Varsity
As the bus pulled away from the T.F. South parking lot, a beautiful sun set to the west amidst an impending thunderstorm rolling in from the northeast; the contrast in weather providing a fitting backdrop for the end of the 2012 Bulldog Badminton season. There were definitely some highs and lows to what would be another season ending loss at the Sectional Championship. The Bulldogs would return four of last year’s six sectional participants to Lansing, IL to do battle as the 18th seed out of 23 teams. Seniors Aneliese Gibson, Emily Andrulis, and Maddie Muntean would join junior Adrienne Witek in making their second appearance at a sectional championship. Joining them this year would be the doubles team of senior Lorelei Volpe and junior Victoria Hernandez. The girls would go in as heavy underdogs, much like they would all year when they faced an extremely tough non-conference schedule. Coach Rocco preached to the girls that the slate was clean and they should go out and give their best, as they had all year, hoping for a little magic on this 80 degree spring day. The draw was stacked against them as both Aneliese and Adrienne were paired up against singles players they has lost to in the regular season, from LT and OPRF respectfully. Ms. Gibson would battle hard, but fall in her first match 21-16, 21-12, sending her into the more difficult consolation bracket. Adrienne would provide the most excitement of the day, upsetting Oak Park’s number two singles player to advance against the sectional’s number 3 seed from Reavis. Again giving her all, she would come up short and drop into the consolation bracket as well.
On the doubles side, RB’s number one doubles team of Emily and Maddie would draw Oak Park, and unfortunately, they would suffer defeat to them once again, just as they did during the regular season. As first time sectionalists, Volpe and Hernandez would push their OPRF opponents to a third game, before falling in the final game by 6 points. Now, each girl’s season was on the line one more loss would eliminate them from the tournament. Ironically, another local rival would end three of RB’s chances at state as LT would repeat the results on an earlier match in Riverside. Emily, Maddie and Lorelei would all see their careers end at the hands of the Lions. Ms. Witek would double RB’s win total from a season ago by beating Golder Prep, but both her and Vicky would also get knocked out by LT. On the bright side, they will both get a chance to avenge those losses next year as the soon to be seniors look to lead an upcoming coming class of talented sophomore and freshman to greater heights next season.
Aneliese Gibson, a four year player whose hard work and dedication to improving her game was unequalled, was truly a blessing for Coaches Rocco and Gaines. She epitomized the work ethic and commitment one needs to be successfully at a high level in badminton. Having been our number one singles player for two years, Aneliese was always matched up against the other school’s best. This year was no different as she repeatedly battled state qualifiers every match. Her final match would be another battle, facing Reavis’ number one for the past two years. She would leave her blood, sweat, and tears on the court, but would again come up short in her bid for a trip down state. All in all, it was another year of improvement for the Lady Bulldogs. There is much to look forward to and much to be proud of. Give yourselves a pat on the back girls; you made your coaches proud!
PAWS UP GIRLS! GO BULLDOGS!
Varsity
As the bus pulled away from the T.F. South parking lot, a beautiful sun set to the west amidst an impending thunderstorm rolling in from the northeast; the contrast in weather providing a fitting backdrop for the end of the 2012 Bulldog Badminton season. There were definitely some highs and lows to what would be another season ending loss at the Sectional Championship. The Bulldogs would return four of last year’s six sectional participants to Lansing, IL to do battle as the 18th seed out of 23 teams. Seniors Aneliese Gibson, Emily Andrulis, and Maddie Muntean would join junior Adrienne Witek in making their second appearance at a sectional championship. Joining them this year would be the doubles team of senior Lorelei Volpe and junior Victoria Hernandez. The girls would go in as heavy underdogs, much like they would all year when they faced an extremely tough non-conference schedule. Coach Rocco preached to the girls that the slate was clean and they should go out and give their best, as they had all year, hoping for a little magic on this 80 degree spring day. The draw was stacked against them as both Aneliese and Adrienne were paired up against singles players they has lost to in the regular season, from LT and OPRF respectfully. Ms. Gibson would battle hard, but fall in her first match 21-16, 21-12, sending her into the more difficult consolation bracket. Adrienne would provide the most excitement of the day, upsetting Oak Park’s number two singles player to advance against the sectional’s number 3 seed from Reavis. Again giving her all, she would come up short and drop into the consolation bracket as well.
On the doubles side, RB’s number one doubles team of Emily and Maddie would draw Oak Park, and unfortunately, they would suffer defeat to them once again, just as they did during the regular season. As first time sectionalists, Volpe and Hernandez would push their OPRF opponents to a third game, before falling in the final game by 6 points. Now, each girl’s season was on the line one more loss would eliminate them from the tournament. Ironically, another local rival would end three of RB’s chances at state as LT would repeat the results on an earlier match in Riverside. Emily, Maddie and Lorelei would all see their careers end at the hands of the Lions. Ms. Witek would double RB’s win total from a season ago by beating Golder Prep, but both her and Vicky would also get knocked out by LT. On the bright side, they will both get a chance to avenge those losses next year as the soon to be seniors look to lead an upcoming coming class of talented sophomore and freshman to greater heights next season.
Aneliese Gibson, a four year player whose hard work and dedication to improving her game was unequalled, was truly a blessing for Coaches Rocco and Gaines. She epitomized the work ethic and commitment one needs to be successfully at a high level in badminton. Having been our number one singles player for two years, Aneliese was always matched up against the other school’s best. This year was no different as she repeatedly battled state qualifiers every match. Her final match would be another battle, facing Reavis’ number one for the past two years. She would leave her blood, sweat, and tears on the court, but would again come up short in her bid for a trip down state. All in all, it was another year of improvement for the Lady Bulldogs. There is much to look forward to and much to be proud of. Give yourselves a pat on the back girls; you made your coaches proud!
PAWS UP GIRLS! GO BULLDOGS!
Week Seven
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs participated in the Independent Conference Tournament this past Saturday and placed 5th and only 5 points away from placing 4th. Leading the way with 2 wins on the day were Adrienne Witek and Anna McGonagill on the singles side, while Erica Fong and Izzi Cain won 2 on the doubles side. Aneliese Gibson and Grace Salerno each won a match on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis and Vicki Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe also won match. The girls fought hard all day long, with many of the matches going to three games and gained valuable experience for next week’s sectionals.
On a side note, the girls were praised by parents, coaches, and players for their outstanding sportsmanship and respect during and after their matches!
JV
Hard to believe, but the last week of the season arrived for the junior varsity Bulldogs and up first was a tough non-conference match-up in Park Ridge against Maine South. Coach Gaines was optimistic heading into the Hawks nest, having witnessed some quality wins against them in the first invite of the year back in March at East Aurora. It turns out that hope would be squashed early and often as the girls could not develop any momentum against their more experienced opponents. Only senior Valerie Ziegler would push her match to a third game before falling 21-16, setting up what looked like another shutout for Coach G. In swooped Laura Pellizzari, who rallied for a three game victory, pulling out the last one 21-19 and providing the Dogs with their only win on the day.
On Wednesday, most of the team would play in their final match of the season. Their opponent would be a Noble Street Charter school from the city, Golder Prep. Their program, only a couple of years old, would provide a unique matchup for the Bulldogs, since their 15 girls would compete against both the JV and freshman teams. Since their roster is so small and new, Coach Gaines would pit his JV up against their varsity, which would turn out to be a good challenge for both teams. The Lady Dogs would jump ahead early, winning two of the first three doubles matches. Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, who have really caught fire of late, would get a win in the two spot, while Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki would win their two doubles match. Pellizzari and Rusiecki would also double up in the win column, getting victories in three and four
singles. Also winning were Joann Gante, Candice Shelbrack, and Tessa Murray, whose victories would set up a winner take all four doubles match that would split the 7-7 tie. With Tessa taking the momentum of a three game singles victory into her doubles match with her partner Candice, the two first year players affectionately known as Murbrack would win the match over the Tigers, sending their teammates off with a win in their final head to head match of the year. Way to Go Girls!
The final day of the season would start early with a 6am departure for the Bulldogs to Dekalb, new home of the Independent Conference Championship Invite. Here 10 girls from both varsity and JV would compete in a round robin tournament against the other five independent badminton schools for the right to call themselves Conference Champions. Usual Metro Suburban Conference foes Glenbard South and Fenton would join RB along with Zion Benton, Lake Forest, and host Dekalb to battle it out for 2012 bragging rights. Coach Gaines would bring a relatively young squad out to Dekalb, hoping for some good results and hoping to get his younger players some quality invite experience as he looks towards next year. Leading the way in singles was first year junior Candice Shelbrack. Although she would battle all day and lose some tough matches against some more experienced players, she was able to win in straight games against Fenton. Also beating the Bison today were freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, who would both rally for three game wins and help the Bulldogs finish fourth overall in the team competition. Adding to that team total was another freshman, Miranda Molina, playing in her first invite of the year. She would show promise all day against girls that had been playing JV invites all year; and that promise paid off with a fifth round win against the host Barbs four singles player. A tough three game loss to Lake Forest in the first round by the two doubles team of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis would set them back early, but they would rally for wins against Fenton and Dekalb. Gritty play all day long would produce a 3 and 2 record for the one doubles team of Grimante. Lauren and Joann would come close to beating their rivals from Glenbard South, which would have produced a silver medal, but walked away with an effort that made their coach proud. The day would really belong to Laura Pellizzari and Paige Brown. The unorthodox style of this three doubles team has produced a great run over the past month of the season. They would cap their wild ride by sweeping all five matches they played, earning them both a gold medal and conference championship in three doubles. With the five points earned by Laura and Paige, the Bulldogs would improve on last year’s fifth placefinish by topping Dekalb by three points for fourth. Zion Benton would go on to win the JV Championship by one point over the Raiders and five points over the Scouts of Lake Forest.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE GIRLS ON A GREAT SEASON!
Freshman
An historic year for the first freshman team at RB in decades came to an end with three matches, one against the tough Maine South Hawks, a rematch against the Wildcats of Plainfield Central, and a final match against the Tigers of Golder Prep in Chicago. First up was a trip to Park Ridge to take on the Hawks. With Coach Adrienne Witek taking the day off from practice to lead the freshman team, the girls would valiantly try to find her a win, but would come up short. Maine South’s deep roster would be no match for Coach Adrienne’s young Bulldogs, as they would get swept in straight games in all fifteen matches. The experience against the Lady Hawks would give Adrienne a good look at some of her future teammates as she prepares to end her 2012 campaign and come back to lead the Bulldogs as a senior next year.
On Tuesday, the girls traveled with Coach Gaines to the western burbs for a rematch against his wife’s school, Plainfield Central. It was chance for the girls to really shine as the spotlight was only on them for the first time this year. They would not disappoint. In an early season matchup at home, the Bulldogs fell 9-6 to the Cats. With valiant efforts throughout the lineup by all eleven participants, RB would reverse the result with a 9-6 win of their own. Winning four of the five doubles matches would set the tone for the Dogs, as they got victories from the doubles teams of Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger and Mary Penckofer, and Michelle Morris and Tricia Faje. Doubling up their victory total on the day with singles wins were Erika, Miranda, Katie, Mary, and Michelle. Four of the other six losses were all three game matches, each of them by three points or less, proving how far all of the girls have come this year.
On Wednesday, the Bulldogs hosted the Tigers from Noble Street Charter School and were pitted against mostly JV players. The girls would again show how much they improved this year by smashing and dropping birdies all of their home court in an impressive 10-5 victory. Although they would start off in a hole, getting wins in only two doubles matches from their number one team (Erika Sterner and Alex Bakalich) and five team (Rachel Arp and Nora Maye), the girls would take it to the Tigers in singles, earning victories in eight of ten matches. Winning some very tough, competitive matches against their older opponents along with Alex were Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger, Mary Penckofer, Michelle Morris, Johanna Oscarson, Nellie Michaelson, and Tricia Faje. Even the two losses came down to the very last few points providing more optimism for the future of the Bulldog Badminton Program. With a solid core of sophomores ahead of them to lead the way, these girls have much to look forward to.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE GIRLS ON A GREAT SEASON!
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs participated in the Independent Conference Tournament this past Saturday and placed 5th and only 5 points away from placing 4th. Leading the way with 2 wins on the day were Adrienne Witek and Anna McGonagill on the singles side, while Erica Fong and Izzi Cain won 2 on the doubles side. Aneliese Gibson and Grace Salerno each won a match on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis and Vicki Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe also won match. The girls fought hard all day long, with many of the matches going to three games and gained valuable experience for next week’s sectionals.
On a side note, the girls were praised by parents, coaches, and players for their outstanding sportsmanship and respect during and after their matches!
JV
Hard to believe, but the last week of the season arrived for the junior varsity Bulldogs and up first was a tough non-conference match-up in Park Ridge against Maine South. Coach Gaines was optimistic heading into the Hawks nest, having witnessed some quality wins against them in the first invite of the year back in March at East Aurora. It turns out that hope would be squashed early and often as the girls could not develop any momentum against their more experienced opponents. Only senior Valerie Ziegler would push her match to a third game before falling 21-16, setting up what looked like another shutout for Coach G. In swooped Laura Pellizzari, who rallied for a three game victory, pulling out the last one 21-19 and providing the Dogs with their only win on the day.
On Wednesday, most of the team would play in their final match of the season. Their opponent would be a Noble Street Charter school from the city, Golder Prep. Their program, only a couple of years old, would provide a unique matchup for the Bulldogs, since their 15 girls would compete against both the JV and freshman teams. Since their roster is so small and new, Coach Gaines would pit his JV up against their varsity, which would turn out to be a good challenge for both teams. The Lady Dogs would jump ahead early, winning two of the first three doubles matches. Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, who have really caught fire of late, would get a win in the two spot, while Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki would win their two doubles match. Pellizzari and Rusiecki would also double up in the win column, getting victories in three and four
singles. Also winning were Joann Gante, Candice Shelbrack, and Tessa Murray, whose victories would set up a winner take all four doubles match that would split the 7-7 tie. With Tessa taking the momentum of a three game singles victory into her doubles match with her partner Candice, the two first year players affectionately known as Murbrack would win the match over the Tigers, sending their teammates off with a win in their final head to head match of the year. Way to Go Girls!
The final day of the season would start early with a 6am departure for the Bulldogs to Dekalb, new home of the Independent Conference Championship Invite. Here 10 girls from both varsity and JV would compete in a round robin tournament against the other five independent badminton schools for the right to call themselves Conference Champions. Usual Metro Suburban Conference foes Glenbard South and Fenton would join RB along with Zion Benton, Lake Forest, and host Dekalb to battle it out for 2012 bragging rights. Coach Gaines would bring a relatively young squad out to Dekalb, hoping for some good results and hoping to get his younger players some quality invite experience as he looks towards next year. Leading the way in singles was first year junior Candice Shelbrack. Although she would battle all day and lose some tough matches against some more experienced players, she was able to win in straight games against Fenton. Also beating the Bison today were freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, who would both rally for three game wins and help the Bulldogs finish fourth overall in the team competition. Adding to that team total was another freshman, Miranda Molina, playing in her first invite of the year. She would show promise all day against girls that had been playing JV invites all year; and that promise paid off with a fifth round win against the host Barbs four singles player. A tough three game loss to Lake Forest in the first round by the two doubles team of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis would set them back early, but they would rally for wins against Fenton and Dekalb. Gritty play all day long would produce a 3 and 2 record for the one doubles team of Grimante. Lauren and Joann would come close to beating their rivals from Glenbard South, which would have produced a silver medal, but walked away with an effort that made their coach proud. The day would really belong to Laura Pellizzari and Paige Brown. The unorthodox style of this three doubles team has produced a great run over the past month of the season. They would cap their wild ride by sweeping all five matches they played, earning them both a gold medal and conference championship in three doubles. With the five points earned by Laura and Paige, the Bulldogs would improve on last year’s fifth placefinish by topping Dekalb by three points for fourth. Zion Benton would go on to win the JV Championship by one point over the Raiders and five points over the Scouts of Lake Forest.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE GIRLS ON A GREAT SEASON!
Freshman
An historic year for the first freshman team at RB in decades came to an end with three matches, one against the tough Maine South Hawks, a rematch against the Wildcats of Plainfield Central, and a final match against the Tigers of Golder Prep in Chicago. First up was a trip to Park Ridge to take on the Hawks. With Coach Adrienne Witek taking the day off from practice to lead the freshman team, the girls would valiantly try to find her a win, but would come up short. Maine South’s deep roster would be no match for Coach Adrienne’s young Bulldogs, as they would get swept in straight games in all fifteen matches. The experience against the Lady Hawks would give Adrienne a good look at some of her future teammates as she prepares to end her 2012 campaign and come back to lead the Bulldogs as a senior next year.
On Tuesday, the girls traveled with Coach Gaines to the western burbs for a rematch against his wife’s school, Plainfield Central. It was chance for the girls to really shine as the spotlight was only on them for the first time this year. They would not disappoint. In an early season matchup at home, the Bulldogs fell 9-6 to the Cats. With valiant efforts throughout the lineup by all eleven participants, RB would reverse the result with a 9-6 win of their own. Winning four of the five doubles matches would set the tone for the Dogs, as they got victories from the doubles teams of Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger and Mary Penckofer, and Michelle Morris and Tricia Faje. Doubling up their victory total on the day with singles wins were Erika, Miranda, Katie, Mary, and Michelle. Four of the other six losses were all three game matches, each of them by three points or less, proving how far all of the girls have come this year.
On Wednesday, the Bulldogs hosted the Tigers from Noble Street Charter School and were pitted against mostly JV players. The girls would again show how much they improved this year by smashing and dropping birdies all of their home court in an impressive 10-5 victory. Although they would start off in a hole, getting wins in only two doubles matches from their number one team (Erika Sterner and Alex Bakalich) and five team (Rachel Arp and Nora Maye), the girls would take it to the Tigers in singles, earning victories in eight of ten matches. Winning some very tough, competitive matches against their older opponents along with Alex were Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger, Mary Penckofer, Michelle Morris, Johanna Oscarson, Nellie Michaelson, and Tricia Faje. Even the two losses came down to the very last few points providing more optimism for the future of the Bulldog Badminton Program. With a solid core of sophomores ahead of them to lead the way, these girls have much to look forward to.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE GIRLS ON A GREAT SEASON!
Week Six
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs Varsity Badminton team went 2-1 this past week in head to head play and took 10th out of 12 teams at the DeKalb invite on Saturday.
On Tuesday, the girls defeated Fenton by a score of 13-2 and were lead by Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Erica Fong/Izzi Cain and Victoria Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe won their matches as well.
On Wednesday, the girls avenged a loss last year to Oswego East by beating them by a score of 9-6. The Bulldogs were lead by victories from Witek, Cain, Fong, and Hernandez on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis, Fong/Cain, and Hernandez/Volpe were all victorious as well.
On Thursday, the girls hosted their senior night against the powerful Lions of Lyons Township. LT would have our number on this day, but it didn’t take away from our 6 seniors special afternoon as they were honored before the match for their dedication and hard work to the program. We will certainly miss Aneliese Gibson, Grace Salerno, Lorelei Volpe, Emily Andrulis, Maddie Muntean, and Valerie Zeigler as they have provided leadership to our underclassmen for years to come. A special thanks to Terry Cavanaugh and Lori Floros for providing the flowers and photos on this special afternoon as it was truly a great day to be a Bulldog!
On Saturday, the girls traveled to the DeKalb Invite and faced a tough field in a double elimination tournament that is similar to the state finals format. While many of the matches were close and went to a third and deciding game, the Bulldogs only got one victory out of the doubles team of Andrulis and Muntean. The day was not lost as the girls gained valuable experience for the conference tournament and sectionals!
JV
A busy week for the Lady Dogs began with a rematch of the first match against the Fenton Bison. The girls traveled to Bensenville, hoping to duplicate the success they had on that first day of the season in mid-March. Although the score was a little closer, the Bulldogs still came away with a 10-5 win. The girls would get off to a great start, winning four of the first five doubles matches and setting the tone for the day early. The double pairs of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki, and Tessa Murray and Nora Maye would all win their matches in two game sweeps. Kelsy Conaghan and Emily Kedzie would win their decisive third game 22-20 while the Diaz sisters, Jennifer and Olivia would play their first competitive match together and come up just short, losing the last game by three points. RB would get singles wins from Lauren Grimaldi, Paige Brown, Valerie Ziegler and Emily Carr. Also contributing victories to round out the scoring were freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, whose first year play continues to impress their coaches.
Next up for the girls was a non-conference match-up against Oswego East. Last year, the girls traveled out west and were beaten up pretty good by the more experienced Wolves. This year, the Bulldogs would take a huge bite of their counterparts with an impressive 14-1 victory. The final score of the match did not even begin to explain the dominance the Dogs had in their own gym today. The only two matches to even make it to a third game were in one doubles and singles, where team Grimante held on for a 21-16 win. Joann would fight hard for the sweep in singles, only to fall just short. The result was a great turnaround from last year and another sign of how the girls continue to improve their games and grow as a team.
Next up in this busy week for the Lady Dogs was the annual match-up against their cross-town rivals from LaGrange, the Lions of LT. Each year, the girls go in as heavy underdogs against the blue and gold and usually come out with a whipping. Although the final score would be 13-2 in favor of LT, the matches would be more competitive and a few more smashes here and there might have made the final score a little closer. Shining on this day would be Paige Brown, who would win the only singles match for RB and team with her doubles partner, Laura Pellizzari to post a doubles win as well. The two have combined to really amp up their game these past few weeks and are really providing further depth for the class of 2014, another good sign for the future of Bulldog Badminton!
This Saturday, Coach Gaines boarded a bus with nine of his sophomores to compete in the JV Lincoln Way West Invite. This early morning pool play event features many of the Chicagoland area’s best badminton programs. Even though the girls would eventually finish in sixth out of eight teams, the margin separating them from third was less than 7 points. Hinsdale South would run away with the team title while the powers from Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley would finish in the top three. Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari would just miss a chance to play for the three doubles title, losing their third game 24-22 on a questionable line call by their opponents. The girls learned a valuable lesson on the rules and etiquette involved in high school badminton. Even though all of the Bulldogs play with honesty and integrity, they now know how to properly question a pivotal point in the match when it can decide their final standing in both individual and team play. All of the girls would battle hard as Anna McGonagill, Erika Fong, and Izzi Cain would post singles wins while the teams of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Lauren Grimaldi and Joan Gante, along with Brown and Pellizzari would improve on RB’s 8th place finish from a year ago in this same event. They would just miss passing the host Warriors, and the girls from Barrington for a top four finish.
Freshman
The youngest Bulldogs had a light week as their older counter parts played some schools that don't carry freshman teams. After waiting to get their chance, the girls made the most of it, coming close to upsetting the mighty Lions of LT. Last year, the young Bulldogs traveled to LaGrange and got shutout on all levels against the more experienced Lions. This year, with powerful performances up and down the lineup, the girls would come close to beating their rivals, losing 9-6. The duo of Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner would continue to lead their 2015 teammates with wins in their one doubles match, while each posting singles wins in the top two spots. Also gaining wins for the Dogs today were Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley in two doubles, as well as Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson in three doubles. Molina would also pick up a win in three singles to round out the scoring for the Bulldogs. The match came down to the four through six singles spots, where Alicia, Katie and teammate Mary Penckofer would all lose three game matches by a combined total of eight points. That was the difference in a near monumental win for the future of RB Badminton.
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs Varsity Badminton team went 2-1 this past week in head to head play and took 10th out of 12 teams at the DeKalb invite on Saturday.
On Tuesday, the girls defeated Fenton by a score of 13-2 and were lead by Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Erica Fong/Izzi Cain and Victoria Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe won their matches as well.
On Wednesday, the girls avenged a loss last year to Oswego East by beating them by a score of 9-6. The Bulldogs were lead by victories from Witek, Cain, Fong, and Hernandez on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis, Fong/Cain, and Hernandez/Volpe were all victorious as well.
On Thursday, the girls hosted their senior night against the powerful Lions of Lyons Township. LT would have our number on this day, but it didn’t take away from our 6 seniors special afternoon as they were honored before the match for their dedication and hard work to the program. We will certainly miss Aneliese Gibson, Grace Salerno, Lorelei Volpe, Emily Andrulis, Maddie Muntean, and Valerie Zeigler as they have provided leadership to our underclassmen for years to come. A special thanks to Terry Cavanaugh and Lori Floros for providing the flowers and photos on this special afternoon as it was truly a great day to be a Bulldog!
On Saturday, the girls traveled to the DeKalb Invite and faced a tough field in a double elimination tournament that is similar to the state finals format. While many of the matches were close and went to a third and deciding game, the Bulldogs only got one victory out of the doubles team of Andrulis and Muntean. The day was not lost as the girls gained valuable experience for the conference tournament and sectionals!
JV
A busy week for the Lady Dogs began with a rematch of the first match against the Fenton Bison. The girls traveled to Bensenville, hoping to duplicate the success they had on that first day of the season in mid-March. Although the score was a little closer, the Bulldogs still came away with a 10-5 win. The girls would get off to a great start, winning four of the first five doubles matches and setting the tone for the day early. The double pairs of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki, and Tessa Murray and Nora Maye would all win their matches in two game sweeps. Kelsy Conaghan and Emily Kedzie would win their decisive third game 22-20 while the Diaz sisters, Jennifer and Olivia would play their first competitive match together and come up just short, losing the last game by three points. RB would get singles wins from Lauren Grimaldi, Paige Brown, Valerie Ziegler and Emily Carr. Also contributing victories to round out the scoring were freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner, whose first year play continues to impress their coaches.
Next up for the girls was a non-conference match-up against Oswego East. Last year, the girls traveled out west and were beaten up pretty good by the more experienced Wolves. This year, the Bulldogs would take a huge bite of their counterparts with an impressive 14-1 victory. The final score of the match did not even begin to explain the dominance the Dogs had in their own gym today. The only two matches to even make it to a third game were in one doubles and singles, where team Grimante held on for a 21-16 win. Joann would fight hard for the sweep in singles, only to fall just short. The result was a great turnaround from last year and another sign of how the girls continue to improve their games and grow as a team.
Next up in this busy week for the Lady Dogs was the annual match-up against their cross-town rivals from LaGrange, the Lions of LT. Each year, the girls go in as heavy underdogs against the blue and gold and usually come out with a whipping. Although the final score would be 13-2 in favor of LT, the matches would be more competitive and a few more smashes here and there might have made the final score a little closer. Shining on this day would be Paige Brown, who would win the only singles match for RB and team with her doubles partner, Laura Pellizzari to post a doubles win as well. The two have combined to really amp up their game these past few weeks and are really providing further depth for the class of 2014, another good sign for the future of Bulldog Badminton!
This Saturday, Coach Gaines boarded a bus with nine of his sophomores to compete in the JV Lincoln Way West Invite. This early morning pool play event features many of the Chicagoland area’s best badminton programs. Even though the girls would eventually finish in sixth out of eight teams, the margin separating them from third was less than 7 points. Hinsdale South would run away with the team title while the powers from Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley would finish in the top three. Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari would just miss a chance to play for the three doubles title, losing their third game 24-22 on a questionable line call by their opponents. The girls learned a valuable lesson on the rules and etiquette involved in high school badminton. Even though all of the Bulldogs play with honesty and integrity, they now know how to properly question a pivotal point in the match when it can decide their final standing in both individual and team play. All of the girls would battle hard as Anna McGonagill, Erika Fong, and Izzi Cain would post singles wins while the teams of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Lauren Grimaldi and Joan Gante, along with Brown and Pellizzari would improve on RB’s 8th place finish from a year ago in this same event. They would just miss passing the host Warriors, and the girls from Barrington for a top four finish.
Freshman
The youngest Bulldogs had a light week as their older counter parts played some schools that don't carry freshman teams. After waiting to get their chance, the girls made the most of it, coming close to upsetting the mighty Lions of LT. Last year, the young Bulldogs traveled to LaGrange and got shutout on all levels against the more experienced Lions. This year, with powerful performances up and down the lineup, the girls would come close to beating their rivals, losing 9-6. The duo of Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner would continue to lead their 2015 teammates with wins in their one doubles match, while each posting singles wins in the top two spots. Also gaining wins for the Dogs today were Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley in two doubles, as well as Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson in three doubles. Molina would also pick up a win in three singles to round out the scoring for the Bulldogs. The match came down to the four through six singles spots, where Alicia, Katie and teammate Mary Penckofer would all lose three game matches by a combined total of eight points. That was the difference in a near monumental win for the future of RB Badminton.
Week Five
Varsity
The Varsity Lady Bulldogs Badminton team had a tough week this week playing some very tough competition that will help them continue getting them ready for the conference tournament and sectionals. On Monday, the Glenbard South Raiders came to Riverside and handed the girls a 15-0 loss. Aneliese Gibson and Erica Fong played well on the singles side for the Bulldogs, while Maddie Muntean and Emily Andrulis played well for the doubles side.
On Thursday, Oak Park River Forest High School visited the Bulldogs and handed the girls a 12-3 defeat. All 3 of the Bulldogs victories came from the singles side, highlighted by victories from Izzi Cain and Victoria
Hernandez.
The girls then had an early wake up call on Saturday and traveled to Glenbard South for the Raider Invite. It was another tough day of competition as the girls would finish in 6th place on the day. Winners on the day included Aneliese Gibson and Nadia Panasky on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Andrulis/Muntean and Volpe/Hernandez each won one match.
JV
On Monday, the junior varsity Bulldogs looked to get some revenge in a rematch against their conference foe, Glenbard South. Last week, the girls rode into Glen Ellyn and got smashed by a score of 15-0. Although they would not grab a win on their home court today, the outcome was much closer than last week. With a win from Rebecca Rusiecki in four singles and another from freshman Alex Bakalich, the girls would avoid another shutout. It was in doubles that the girls would really shine, winning three and almost sweeping all five matches played. The girls earned victories from Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante, now going by the name Grimante, and newcomers Candice Shelbrack and Tessa Murray. Losing by a total of five points were Rusiecki and Kelly Haugland; while Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, straight off a first place invite in the RB invite last Saturday, would continue their impressive play, losing 21-19 in the third set to a tough Raider tandem.
On Thursday, after two days of back to the basic fundamentals in practice with Coach Rocco, the girls would host another strong West Suburban opponent in Oak Park River Forest. The battle of the Dogs would be won by the Huskies in what would wind up being a 15-0 mauling, the girls third whitewash of the year. Although the coaches were encouraged by two strong practice sessions, the hardwork would not pay off against the more experienced, stronger girls from OPRF.
The week ended with 10 girls making another trip back to Glen Ellyn for the Raider Invite. The Lady Dogs would continue to get strong play from their doubles teams in an event with some very tough competition. Propelling the Bulldogs to a fourth place finish, four points out of third were the doubles teams of Grimante (2 Doubles) and Brown and Pellizzari (3 Doubles), who would lose only to the powerful Dukes of York, the eventual champs. Each doubles pairing medaled for the second consecutive weekend, finishing second over the host Raiders and the Hilltoppers of Glenbard West. Earning their first invite victories of their careers were senior Valerie Ziegler (4 Singles) and junior Emily Carr (3 Singles), who both won their final matches against Qswego, to help the team finish ahead of both the Panthers and the Tomcats of East Aurora.
Freshman
The youngest members of the badminton program would have only one match this week, against the OPRF Huskies. Although the girls all battled hard, wins would be hard to come by. On the bright side, they were able to match their varsity teammates with three wins. The Dogs would lose all five doubles matches, with only Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson forcing a third game. Johanna would avenge that loss with a win in 7 Singles in straight games. Also winning their singles matches were Katie Buckley (5 Singles) and Erika Sterner, whose stellar play at the top of the lineup continues to get her some time with her JV teammates.
Varsity
The Varsity Lady Bulldogs Badminton team had a tough week this week playing some very tough competition that will help them continue getting them ready for the conference tournament and sectionals. On Monday, the Glenbard South Raiders came to Riverside and handed the girls a 15-0 loss. Aneliese Gibson and Erica Fong played well on the singles side for the Bulldogs, while Maddie Muntean and Emily Andrulis played well for the doubles side.
On Thursday, Oak Park River Forest High School visited the Bulldogs and handed the girls a 12-3 defeat. All 3 of the Bulldogs victories came from the singles side, highlighted by victories from Izzi Cain and Victoria
Hernandez.
The girls then had an early wake up call on Saturday and traveled to Glenbard South for the Raider Invite. It was another tough day of competition as the girls would finish in 6th place on the day. Winners on the day included Aneliese Gibson and Nadia Panasky on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Andrulis/Muntean and Volpe/Hernandez each won one match.
JV
On Monday, the junior varsity Bulldogs looked to get some revenge in a rematch against their conference foe, Glenbard South. Last week, the girls rode into Glen Ellyn and got smashed by a score of 15-0. Although they would not grab a win on their home court today, the outcome was much closer than last week. With a win from Rebecca Rusiecki in four singles and another from freshman Alex Bakalich, the girls would avoid another shutout. It was in doubles that the girls would really shine, winning three and almost sweeping all five matches played. The girls earned victories from Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante, now going by the name Grimante, and newcomers Candice Shelbrack and Tessa Murray. Losing by a total of five points were Rusiecki and Kelly Haugland; while Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, straight off a first place invite in the RB invite last Saturday, would continue their impressive play, losing 21-19 in the third set to a tough Raider tandem.
On Thursday, after two days of back to the basic fundamentals in practice with Coach Rocco, the girls would host another strong West Suburban opponent in Oak Park River Forest. The battle of the Dogs would be won by the Huskies in what would wind up being a 15-0 mauling, the girls third whitewash of the year. Although the coaches were encouraged by two strong practice sessions, the hardwork would not pay off against the more experienced, stronger girls from OPRF.
The week ended with 10 girls making another trip back to Glen Ellyn for the Raider Invite. The Lady Dogs would continue to get strong play from their doubles teams in an event with some very tough competition. Propelling the Bulldogs to a fourth place finish, four points out of third were the doubles teams of Grimante (2 Doubles) and Brown and Pellizzari (3 Doubles), who would lose only to the powerful Dukes of York, the eventual champs. Each doubles pairing medaled for the second consecutive weekend, finishing second over the host Raiders and the Hilltoppers of Glenbard West. Earning their first invite victories of their careers were senior Valerie Ziegler (4 Singles) and junior Emily Carr (3 Singles), who both won their final matches against Qswego, to help the team finish ahead of both the Panthers and the Tomcats of East Aurora.
Freshman
The youngest members of the badminton program would have only one match this week, against the OPRF Huskies. Although the girls all battled hard, wins would be hard to come by. On the bright side, they were able to match their varsity teammates with three wins. The Dogs would lose all five doubles matches, with only Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson forcing a third game. Johanna would avenge that loss with a win in 7 Singles in straight games. Also winning their singles matches were Katie Buckley (5 Singles) and Erika Sterner, whose stellar play at the top of the lineup continues to get her some time with her JV teammates.
Week Four
Varsity
It was a relatively quiet week for Coach Rocco’s squad, with only one head to head matchup on the schedule. The girls traveled to Downers Grove to take on another powerful team from the West Suburban conference and although they battled throughout, they fell by a score of 13-2 to the Mustangs of DG South. Unable to get going in doubles, the Bulldogs showed some life by winning eight and nine singles, but the 7-0 hole they had already dug to that point was too much to overcome. Winning their singles matches were senior Lorelei Volpe and sophomore Anna McGonagill, who continues to play well against her older, more experienced opponents.
JV
The JV squad continued their busy schedule with two early week matchups. On Monday, the girls took on the Mustangs of Downers Grove South in a non-conference matchup. The matchup was very competitive early on as the Bulldogs and Stangs would split the first eight matches. Winning in doubles were Jennifer Diaz and Valerie Ziegler, as well as Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis; winning in the one doubles position in three games. Coming through with singles wins in the ninth and eight spots were Laura Pellizzari and Emily Carr. Unfortunately for the Dogs, Rebecca Rusiecki would provide the only other victory in the remaining seven matches, leading to a 10-5 final score in favor of DGS.
On Tuesday, the girls rode into Lombard to take on their independent conference foes from Glenbard South. It would be an ugly day for the Lady Dogs as they would get shut out by the Raiders 15-0. Only two of the
matches were even extended to three games, a one singles loss by Joann Gante and a five singles loss by Rebecca Rusiecki. The news continued to get worse when Estrella Gonzalez, who was battling in the three singles spot, slipped and fell on the court. She would wind up breaking a bone in her arm and her promising first season in the royal blue and white would come to an abrupt end. Get Well Soon Estrella!
On Saturday, the girls hosted their own invite and were looking to improve on their fourth place finish from last year. The doubles play would be strong all day as the two doubles team of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis would win all three matches. Adding to the Bulldogs points total were Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, two sophomores playing in an invite for the first time in their young careers. They would pull out a three game win against Reavis in their final match to go 3-0 in the three doubles position. Also medaling were the one doubles team of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong, who would take second, and Anna McGonagill, placing third in one singles. Overall, the Bulldogs second place finish behind the powerful Rams of Reavis would continue a promising trend of improved play and overall success; a trend Coaches Rocco and Gaines hope to continue to build on!
Freshman
On Monday, the youngest of the Bulldog Badminton squad would join their older teammates for a head to head matchup against the Downers Grove Mustangs for their only action of the week. The doubles matches would put the girls in a hole early, as the two doubles team of Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley would provide the only victory. Katie would also score a victory in five singles to give her team two of the five points they would earn in a 10-5 loss. Also contributing singles wins were Erika Sterner in two singles and Joanna Oscarson in eight singles. Johanna and her doubles partner, Mary Penckofer, nearly got the girls closer to victory, losing two close matches. They lost their doubles match by a total of four points and Mary would lose her four singles match in a third game by a score of 19-21. Overall, the girls are improving and getting some valuable match time as theybegin their Bulldog badminton careers.
Varsity
It was a relatively quiet week for Coach Rocco’s squad, with only one head to head matchup on the schedule. The girls traveled to Downers Grove to take on another powerful team from the West Suburban conference and although they battled throughout, they fell by a score of 13-2 to the Mustangs of DG South. Unable to get going in doubles, the Bulldogs showed some life by winning eight and nine singles, but the 7-0 hole they had already dug to that point was too much to overcome. Winning their singles matches were senior Lorelei Volpe and sophomore Anna McGonagill, who continues to play well against her older, more experienced opponents.
JV
The JV squad continued their busy schedule with two early week matchups. On Monday, the girls took on the Mustangs of Downers Grove South in a non-conference matchup. The matchup was very competitive early on as the Bulldogs and Stangs would split the first eight matches. Winning in doubles were Jennifer Diaz and Valerie Ziegler, as well as Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis; winning in the one doubles position in three games. Coming through with singles wins in the ninth and eight spots were Laura Pellizzari and Emily Carr. Unfortunately for the Dogs, Rebecca Rusiecki would provide the only other victory in the remaining seven matches, leading to a 10-5 final score in favor of DGS.
On Tuesday, the girls rode into Lombard to take on their independent conference foes from Glenbard South. It would be an ugly day for the Lady Dogs as they would get shut out by the Raiders 15-0. Only two of the
matches were even extended to three games, a one singles loss by Joann Gante and a five singles loss by Rebecca Rusiecki. The news continued to get worse when Estrella Gonzalez, who was battling in the three singles spot, slipped and fell on the court. She would wind up breaking a bone in her arm and her promising first season in the royal blue and white would come to an abrupt end. Get Well Soon Estrella!
On Saturday, the girls hosted their own invite and were looking to improve on their fourth place finish from last year. The doubles play would be strong all day as the two doubles team of Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis would win all three matches. Adding to the Bulldogs points total were Paige Brown and Laura Pellizzari, two sophomores playing in an invite for the first time in their young careers. They would pull out a three game win against Reavis in their final match to go 3-0 in the three doubles position. Also medaling were the one doubles team of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong, who would take second, and Anna McGonagill, placing third in one singles. Overall, the Bulldogs second place finish behind the powerful Rams of Reavis would continue a promising trend of improved play and overall success; a trend Coaches Rocco and Gaines hope to continue to build on!
Freshman
On Monday, the youngest of the Bulldog Badminton squad would join their older teammates for a head to head matchup against the Downers Grove Mustangs for their only action of the week. The doubles matches would put the girls in a hole early, as the two doubles team of Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley would provide the only victory. Katie would also score a victory in five singles to give her team two of the five points they would earn in a 10-5 loss. Also contributing singles wins were Erika Sterner in two singles and Joanna Oscarson in eight singles. Johanna and her doubles partner, Mary Penckofer, nearly got the girls closer to victory, losing two close matches. They lost their doubles match by a total of four points and Mary would lose her four singles match in a third game by a score of 19-21. Overall, the girls are improving and getting some valuable match time as theybegin their Bulldog badminton careers.
Week Three
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs had a very busy spring break by playing 3 matches and hosting the RB Invite this past week. On Monday the girls traveled over to our close neighbors Morton and won by a decisive 11-4 score. Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek paced the way on the singles side with close victories in the #1 and #2 singles spots, while the doubles teams of of Vicki Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe and Izzi Cain/Erica Fong won their matches at the #3 and #4 spots on the doubles side.
On Tuesday the Bulldogs hosted a tough Plainfield East squad and lost 9-6. On the singles side the team was lead by Anna McGonagill, Fong, Volpe, Cain, and Kellie Clinton who all won their singles matches. On the doubles side things were much tougher as only Aneliese Gibson and Grace Salerno could notch a victory the #2 spot. After a day off Wednesday, the girls were back at it Thursday this time taking on Plainfield Central and found themselves losing by a score of 9-6 once again. Gibson, Witek, Fong, and Volpe were all victorious on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Gibson/Witek and McGonagill/Nadia Panasky each posted victories in the #2 and #5 doubles spots.
Finally, the week ended on a high note with a successful showing at the annual RB invite held in Dudley gymnasium. The girls battled all day with Leyden, Morton, and Homewood Flossmor and walked away with a second place finish to HF. On the doubles side the Bulldogs got 3rd place finishes from the teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis at the #1 spot and Cain/Fong at the #2 spot. The team of Hernandez/Volpe played strong all morning long and walked away with a solid second place finish at #3 doubles. On the singles side the girls had 3rd place finishes from Nadia Panasky at the #4 singles spot and Gibson at the #1 singles spot. The final medalist of the day was Witek who ended up in a 3 way tie for 1st, but ended up with a second place finish due to the tiebreaker. A special thank you to Mrs. Panasky for running concessions, our awesome training staff of Mr. Frey and Ms. Hughes, Mrs. Cavanaugh for ordering the medals/plaque, and Coach Gaines along with our JV Bulldogs for all helping run a fantastic invite on Saturday!
JV
A busy spring break week for the JV Bulldogs started out with a quality 11-4 win against local rival Morton. The day would start with doubles wins from the Jennifer Diaz and Valerie Ziegler, as well as Kellie Clinton and Rebecca Rusiecki. Two of the other three doubles matches would go three sets, with the Dogs losing them all; two by scores of 21-19. The girls would rebound nicely though once singles play began, and would take 8 out of the 10 matches played. Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante would avenge their tough three set doubles loss by winning their hotly contested matches. Two time winners on this day included Kellie and Rebecca, both easily winning their singles matches. Also winning singles on this day were Yagmur Guzeldereli, Alex Bakalich, Paige Brown, and Izzi Cain; who stepped into the one singles role today and continued to improve her singles game.
Next up for RB were the Plainfield East Bengals. They would roar their way into Riverside and take a big bite out of the Dogs on this beautiful spring break day. The signs pointed to a rough day for the girls when the Bengals swept the five doubles matches. Although four of them would go three sets, the Bulldogs were unable to pull out a win. Paired together for the first time this year were the lefty duo of Emily Carr and Paige Brown. They narrowly missed putting RB on the board, losing 21-23, 21-13. 21-19. The girls would find even less success in singles and only freshman Erika Sterner was able to prevent the team from getting shutout on this day, winning 9 singles in straight sets.
What a difference a day makes. After getting roughed up by the Plainfield East Bengals on Tuesday, the girls came back from a much needed day off and completed a 180 degree turn around against another Plainfield opponent. Coach Gaines was looking for a win against his wife’s employer, the Central Wildcats, and the girls would come through in a big way, producing their coach with his first career 15-0 shutout. Kellie Clinton and Rebecca Rusiecki would continue their stellar play this week with wins in both singles and doubles. Also producing two victories on this day were Paige Brown and Yagmur Guzeldereli, Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante, and Estrella Gonzalez and Valerie Ziegler. The Diaz sisters, Jennifer and Olivia would pair with their doubles partners for wins while freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner would contribute the final wins in 9 and 10 singles to complete the sweep.
Freshman
It was a busy week for the youngest Bulldog badminton team with three non-conference matchups during their spring break. First up on Monday, was an abbreviated matchup against the Morton Mustangs. Due to time constraints and limited court space, the girls played one game matches in four singles and three doubles. The one game to 30, winner take all format is unusual and requires the girls to get off to a fast start. Unfortunately, this only happened in one of the seven matches played, where Alicia Heninger held on for a 30-25 win in three singles. Miranda Molina in one singles, and the one doubles pair of Johanna Oscarson and Tricia Faje, all battled hard and lost their games 30-28.
On Tuesday, the Bengals of Plainfield East paid a visit to Riverside and flexed their muscles to a resounding 12-3 victory of the young Lady Dogs. Pacing the way for the team’s only three victories on this day were Mary Penckofer, Katie Buckley, and Johanna Oscarson. They were able to scratch out victories in three of the top four singles matches, all while moving up in the order to fill vacancies in the lineup during springbreak. Although many of the matches throughout the day would come down to the last three or four points, none of the girls were able to push their matches to three sets against their orange clad opponents from the western suburbs.
On Thursday, the girls would wrap up their busiest week to date with a head to head matchup against the Wildcats of Plainfield Central. Coach Gaines’ second matchup against his wife’s school proved a little more successful than last year, although the Bulldogs still came up short in a 9-6 loss. The girls got off to a good start, winning three of the five doubles matches. Winning matches against the Cats were the doubles teams of Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson, and Mary Penckofer and Nora Maye. As was the case against the nearby Bengals of East, the Bulldogs were able to win all three matches in 2, 3, and 4 singles, with Alicia, Katie, and Mary winning their second matches of the day. The differences in the final score were tough three set loses by Rachel Arp, Olivia Diaz, and Johanna. Those three matches all came down to the last two points and were the difference between winning and losing this head to head matchup against another Southwest Suburban opponent.
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs had a very busy spring break by playing 3 matches and hosting the RB Invite this past week. On Monday the girls traveled over to our close neighbors Morton and won by a decisive 11-4 score. Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek paced the way on the singles side with close victories in the #1 and #2 singles spots, while the doubles teams of of Vicki Hernandez/Lorelei Volpe and Izzi Cain/Erica Fong won their matches at the #3 and #4 spots on the doubles side.
On Tuesday the Bulldogs hosted a tough Plainfield East squad and lost 9-6. On the singles side the team was lead by Anna McGonagill, Fong, Volpe, Cain, and Kellie Clinton who all won their singles matches. On the doubles side things were much tougher as only Aneliese Gibson and Grace Salerno could notch a victory the #2 spot. After a day off Wednesday, the girls were back at it Thursday this time taking on Plainfield Central and found themselves losing by a score of 9-6 once again. Gibson, Witek, Fong, and Volpe were all victorious on the singles side, while the doubles teams of Gibson/Witek and McGonagill/Nadia Panasky each posted victories in the #2 and #5 doubles spots.
Finally, the week ended on a high note with a successful showing at the annual RB invite held in Dudley gymnasium. The girls battled all day with Leyden, Morton, and Homewood Flossmor and walked away with a second place finish to HF. On the doubles side the Bulldogs got 3rd place finishes from the teams of Maddie Muntean/Emily Andrulis at the #1 spot and Cain/Fong at the #2 spot. The team of Hernandez/Volpe played strong all morning long and walked away with a solid second place finish at #3 doubles. On the singles side the girls had 3rd place finishes from Nadia Panasky at the #4 singles spot and Gibson at the #1 singles spot. The final medalist of the day was Witek who ended up in a 3 way tie for 1st, but ended up with a second place finish due to the tiebreaker. A special thank you to Mrs. Panasky for running concessions, our awesome training staff of Mr. Frey and Ms. Hughes, Mrs. Cavanaugh for ordering the medals/plaque, and Coach Gaines along with our JV Bulldogs for all helping run a fantastic invite on Saturday!
JV
A busy spring break week for the JV Bulldogs started out with a quality 11-4 win against local rival Morton. The day would start with doubles wins from the Jennifer Diaz and Valerie Ziegler, as well as Kellie Clinton and Rebecca Rusiecki. Two of the other three doubles matches would go three sets, with the Dogs losing them all; two by scores of 21-19. The girls would rebound nicely though once singles play began, and would take 8 out of the 10 matches played. Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante would avenge their tough three set doubles loss by winning their hotly contested matches. Two time winners on this day included Kellie and Rebecca, both easily winning their singles matches. Also winning singles on this day were Yagmur Guzeldereli, Alex Bakalich, Paige Brown, and Izzi Cain; who stepped into the one singles role today and continued to improve her singles game.
Next up for RB were the Plainfield East Bengals. They would roar their way into Riverside and take a big bite out of the Dogs on this beautiful spring break day. The signs pointed to a rough day for the girls when the Bengals swept the five doubles matches. Although four of them would go three sets, the Bulldogs were unable to pull out a win. Paired together for the first time this year were the lefty duo of Emily Carr and Paige Brown. They narrowly missed putting RB on the board, losing 21-23, 21-13. 21-19. The girls would find even less success in singles and only freshman Erika Sterner was able to prevent the team from getting shutout on this day, winning 9 singles in straight sets.
What a difference a day makes. After getting roughed up by the Plainfield East Bengals on Tuesday, the girls came back from a much needed day off and completed a 180 degree turn around against another Plainfield opponent. Coach Gaines was looking for a win against his wife’s employer, the Central Wildcats, and the girls would come through in a big way, producing their coach with his first career 15-0 shutout. Kellie Clinton and Rebecca Rusiecki would continue their stellar play this week with wins in both singles and doubles. Also producing two victories on this day were Paige Brown and Yagmur Guzeldereli, Lauren Grimaldi and Joann Gante, and Estrella Gonzalez and Valerie Ziegler. The Diaz sisters, Jennifer and Olivia would pair with their doubles partners for wins while freshman Alex Bakalich and Erika Sterner would contribute the final wins in 9 and 10 singles to complete the sweep.
Freshman
It was a busy week for the youngest Bulldog badminton team with three non-conference matchups during their spring break. First up on Monday, was an abbreviated matchup against the Morton Mustangs. Due to time constraints and limited court space, the girls played one game matches in four singles and three doubles. The one game to 30, winner take all format is unusual and requires the girls to get off to a fast start. Unfortunately, this only happened in one of the seven matches played, where Alicia Heninger held on for a 30-25 win in three singles. Miranda Molina in one singles, and the one doubles pair of Johanna Oscarson and Tricia Faje, all battled hard and lost their games 30-28.
On Tuesday, the Bengals of Plainfield East paid a visit to Riverside and flexed their muscles to a resounding 12-3 victory of the young Lady Dogs. Pacing the way for the team’s only three victories on this day were Mary Penckofer, Katie Buckley, and Johanna Oscarson. They were able to scratch out victories in three of the top four singles matches, all while moving up in the order to fill vacancies in the lineup during springbreak. Although many of the matches throughout the day would come down to the last three or four points, none of the girls were able to push their matches to three sets against their orange clad opponents from the western suburbs.
On Thursday, the girls would wrap up their busiest week to date with a head to head matchup against the Wildcats of Plainfield Central. Coach Gaines’ second matchup against his wife’s school proved a little more successful than last year, although the Bulldogs still came up short in a 9-6 loss. The girls got off to a good start, winning three of the five doubles matches. Winning matches against the Cats were the doubles teams of Miranda Molina and Katie Buckley, Alicia Heninger and Johanna Oscarson, and Mary Penckofer and Nora Maye. As was the case against the nearby Bengals of East, the Bulldogs were able to win all three matches in 2, 3, and 4 singles, with Alicia, Katie, and Mary winning their second matches of the day. The differences in the final score were tough three set loses by Rachel Arp, Olivia Diaz, and Johanna. Those three matches all came down to the last two points and were the difference between winning and losing this head to head matchup against another Southwest Suburban opponent.
Week Two
Varsity
On Thursday, Coach Rocco’s Bulldogs were stung 13-2 by their independent conference visitors from the north, the Zee Bees of Zion-Benton. Although many of the matches were closely contested, Rocco’s girls did not have enough answers for the buzzing birdies that were flying past their racquets on this warm afternoon in Riverside. On the Brightside, the sophomore tandem of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong continued their strong play at the beginning of this 2012 season with another three set doubles win the three position. The girls have continued to build on their successful first season together and are becoming a force to be reckoned with at the varsity level. The Lady Dogs were able to finish on a positive note when senior Lorelei Volpe was able to end the match with a three set singles victory.
On Saturday, the girls traveled to the 6thannual Ram Invite at Glenbard East. The event is a combination of JV and Varsity singles and doubles; with all scores combining for one team total. Competing against the girls were local rival Morton, independent conference foe Dekalb, Elgin, Maine East, Addison Trail, the host Rams, and perennial badminton power and five-time champ York. After finishing seventh last year, the girls were optimistic about their chances for placing in the top three. In the end, they would fall two points short and finish in 5th. Sophomore Anna McGonagill would take home the only medal on this day, losing her championship match in JV two doubles to Glenbard East. Her JV teammates on this day, Nadia Panasky, and the doubles teams of Lauren Gimaldi and Joann Gante, along with Rebecca Rusiecki and Alex Bakalich would all get off to a good start, winning their first matches. Unfortunately, besides McGonagill, neither of them would win another match. In the varsity matches, both Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek would get off to fast start; as did Izzi Cain and Erica Fong in doubles. Those wins propelled them to second round matches against the powerful Dukes of York, which they would all lose. Gibson and Witek were able to win their third matches, putting them in the third place match. Gibson would fight hard, losing the first game by three, before falling in straight sets to Maine East. Witek would win her first game 22-20, before dropping the next two 18-21 and 19-21 to her opponent from Morton. Those two matches proved to be the difference as RB finished in fifth, one point behind Morton and two points behind Maine East for third. The Rams took home many of their own medals and finished second while York easily completed a six-peat.
JV
The girls had a quiet week of practice in anticipation of their first head to head match-up in years against the Zee Bees of Zion-Benton. The visitors from near the Wisconsin boarder showed no ill effects of the long drive while buzzing their way to a 15-0 victory over the less-experienced Bulldogs. With many of Coach Gaines’ returning starters promoted up to the varsity ranks, second-year sophomores Lauren Grimaldi, Joann Gante, Laura Pellizzari, Emily Kedzie, and Paige Brown were pressed into higher ranked positions and valiantly fought hard in all their matches, coming up short in several three game matches. Newcomers Candice Shelbrack, Tessa Murray, Olivia Diaz, Jennifer Diaz, Estrella Gonzalez, Kelsy Conaghan, Valerie Ziegler, and Nora Maye all gained some good match experience against a tough Bees’ squad that handled perennial power Oak Park just days earlier.
Freshman
The twelve girls that make up RB’s first freshman team in years made their coach proud on Thursday, narrowly losing a head to head match against the Zion-Benton Zee Bees. With all three levels playing, the freshman held their own and came up on the short end of a 7-5 final score. Although losing all four doubles matches, Miranda Molina, Katie Buckley, Michelle Morris, Rachel Arp, Tricia Faje, Nellie Michaelson and Julia Mueller all saw the first action of their badminton careers. Many of the matches were close and the girls improved with each game. It was in singles where the Bulldogs shined on this day, winning five of the eightmatches played. Winning their matches along with Molina and Morris were Alex Bakalich, Alicia Heninger, and Mary Penckofer. The three losses were all close matches that could have gone either way, a great sign for the young Lady Dogs as they look to continue building a strong foundation for RB Badminton in the months and years to come!
Varsity
On Thursday, Coach Rocco’s Bulldogs were stung 13-2 by their independent conference visitors from the north, the Zee Bees of Zion-Benton. Although many of the matches were closely contested, Rocco’s girls did not have enough answers for the buzzing birdies that were flying past their racquets on this warm afternoon in Riverside. On the Brightside, the sophomore tandem of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong continued their strong play at the beginning of this 2012 season with another three set doubles win the three position. The girls have continued to build on their successful first season together and are becoming a force to be reckoned with at the varsity level. The Lady Dogs were able to finish on a positive note when senior Lorelei Volpe was able to end the match with a three set singles victory.
On Saturday, the girls traveled to the 6thannual Ram Invite at Glenbard East. The event is a combination of JV and Varsity singles and doubles; with all scores combining for one team total. Competing against the girls were local rival Morton, independent conference foe Dekalb, Elgin, Maine East, Addison Trail, the host Rams, and perennial badminton power and five-time champ York. After finishing seventh last year, the girls were optimistic about their chances for placing in the top three. In the end, they would fall two points short and finish in 5th. Sophomore Anna McGonagill would take home the only medal on this day, losing her championship match in JV two doubles to Glenbard East. Her JV teammates on this day, Nadia Panasky, and the doubles teams of Lauren Gimaldi and Joann Gante, along with Rebecca Rusiecki and Alex Bakalich would all get off to a good start, winning their first matches. Unfortunately, besides McGonagill, neither of them would win another match. In the varsity matches, both Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek would get off to fast start; as did Izzi Cain and Erica Fong in doubles. Those wins propelled them to second round matches against the powerful Dukes of York, which they would all lose. Gibson and Witek were able to win their third matches, putting them in the third place match. Gibson would fight hard, losing the first game by three, before falling in straight sets to Maine East. Witek would win her first game 22-20, before dropping the next two 18-21 and 19-21 to her opponent from Morton. Those two matches proved to be the difference as RB finished in fifth, one point behind Morton and two points behind Maine East for third. The Rams took home many of their own medals and finished second while York easily completed a six-peat.
JV
The girls had a quiet week of practice in anticipation of their first head to head match-up in years against the Zee Bees of Zion-Benton. The visitors from near the Wisconsin boarder showed no ill effects of the long drive while buzzing their way to a 15-0 victory over the less-experienced Bulldogs. With many of Coach Gaines’ returning starters promoted up to the varsity ranks, second-year sophomores Lauren Grimaldi, Joann Gante, Laura Pellizzari, Emily Kedzie, and Paige Brown were pressed into higher ranked positions and valiantly fought hard in all their matches, coming up short in several three game matches. Newcomers Candice Shelbrack, Tessa Murray, Olivia Diaz, Jennifer Diaz, Estrella Gonzalez, Kelsy Conaghan, Valerie Ziegler, and Nora Maye all gained some good match experience against a tough Bees’ squad that handled perennial power Oak Park just days earlier.
Freshman
The twelve girls that make up RB’s first freshman team in years made their coach proud on Thursday, narrowly losing a head to head match against the Zion-Benton Zee Bees. With all three levels playing, the freshman held their own and came up on the short end of a 7-5 final score. Although losing all four doubles matches, Miranda Molina, Katie Buckley, Michelle Morris, Rachel Arp, Tricia Faje, Nellie Michaelson and Julia Mueller all saw the first action of their badminton careers. Many of the matches were close and the girls improved with each game. It was in singles where the Bulldogs shined on this day, winning five of the eightmatches played. Winning their matches along with Molina and Morris were Alex Bakalich, Alicia Heninger, and Mary Penckofer. The three losses were all close matches that could have gone either way, a great sign for the young Lady Dogs as they look to continue building a strong foundation for RB Badminton in the months and years to come!
Week One
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs Varsity Badminton team started the season off with a nice 13-2 victory over Fenton last Tuesday. Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek lead the way on the singles side bywinning both of their matches, while Maddie Muntean and Emily Andrulis paced the Bulldogs on the doubles side with a nice victory as well.
On Friday the girls participated in the Leyden Eagle Invite. Isabella Cain and Erica Fong had an impressive showing and took first place in the #3 doubles slot. We also had 3rd place finishes from Anna McGonnagill, Adrienne Witek, and the doubles team of Victoria Hernandez and Lorelei Volpe.
JV
The first week of Badminton season for the Bulldogs finds many new faces; as well as many returning ones. Interest in the sport is on the rise as 12 freshmen joined 8 newcomers to give RB three levels of badminton for the first time in decades. All of the girls have worked hard and the potential for the season is promising. On Tuesday, the girls started their season at home against the Fenton Bison. Just as they did last year, the girls smashed their way to a resounding victory. Led by returning sophomores Joann Gante, Paige Brown, Emily Kedzie, Lauren Grimaldi, and Laura Pellizzari, the girls won 9 of 10 singles matches. New faces such as sisters Jennifer and Olivia Diaz, Valerie Ziegler, Tessa Murray, Candice Shelbrack, Estrella Gonzalez, and Nora Maye aided the Bulldogs in winning 4 of 5 doubles matches as well. Also in the mix were promising freshman Erika Sterner and Alex Bakalich, who also won singles matches on the day. Overall, a good sign for the program as they look to continue building on the strides made last year.
On Saturday, a mix of 8 returning sophomores and two freshman represented RB at the JV East Aurora invite against some of the best badminton programs in the state. Although the Bulldogs narrowly missed placing in the top four, strong efforts were put out by all the girls on this sweltering St. Patrick’s Day. Naperville North, Wheaton Warrenville South, and Maine South easily took the top three spots while the Bulldogs lost several close matches against Wheaton North to fall just short of fourth. On the bright side, the doubles teams had much more success than last year. The sophomore tandem of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong, fresh off a victory in three doubles on Friday evening for Coach Rocco and the varsity, came back to the Tomcats gym and after suffering their first loss of the year against an experienced team of juniors from Naperville North, recovered to take second place in one doubles. Also returning for their second season of action, sophomores Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, along with Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki, were able to battle the heat and a few injuries to place third and fourth respectfully in second and third doubles. Along with the experience gained in singles against top-notch competition by Lauren Grimaldi, Estrella Gonzalez, Alex Bakalich, and Erika Sterner, Coach Gaines has a lot to look forward to this year!
Varsity
The Lady Bulldogs Varsity Badminton team started the season off with a nice 13-2 victory over Fenton last Tuesday. Aneliese Gibson and Adrienne Witek lead the way on the singles side bywinning both of their matches, while Maddie Muntean and Emily Andrulis paced the Bulldogs on the doubles side with a nice victory as well.
On Friday the girls participated in the Leyden Eagle Invite. Isabella Cain and Erica Fong had an impressive showing and took first place in the #3 doubles slot. We also had 3rd place finishes from Anna McGonnagill, Adrienne Witek, and the doubles team of Victoria Hernandez and Lorelei Volpe.
JV
The first week of Badminton season for the Bulldogs finds many new faces; as well as many returning ones. Interest in the sport is on the rise as 12 freshmen joined 8 newcomers to give RB three levels of badminton for the first time in decades. All of the girls have worked hard and the potential for the season is promising. On Tuesday, the girls started their season at home against the Fenton Bison. Just as they did last year, the girls smashed their way to a resounding victory. Led by returning sophomores Joann Gante, Paige Brown, Emily Kedzie, Lauren Grimaldi, and Laura Pellizzari, the girls won 9 of 10 singles matches. New faces such as sisters Jennifer and Olivia Diaz, Valerie Ziegler, Tessa Murray, Candice Shelbrack, Estrella Gonzalez, and Nora Maye aided the Bulldogs in winning 4 of 5 doubles matches as well. Also in the mix were promising freshman Erika Sterner and Alex Bakalich, who also won singles matches on the day. Overall, a good sign for the program as they look to continue building on the strides made last year.
On Saturday, a mix of 8 returning sophomores and two freshman represented RB at the JV East Aurora invite against some of the best badminton programs in the state. Although the Bulldogs narrowly missed placing in the top four, strong efforts were put out by all the girls on this sweltering St. Patrick’s Day. Naperville North, Wheaton Warrenville South, and Maine South easily took the top three spots while the Bulldogs lost several close matches against Wheaton North to fall just short of fourth. On the bright side, the doubles teams had much more success than last year. The sophomore tandem of Izzi Cain and Erica Fong, fresh off a victory in three doubles on Friday evening for Coach Rocco and the varsity, came back to the Tomcats gym and after suffering their first loss of the year against an experienced team of juniors from Naperville North, recovered to take second place in one doubles. Also returning for their second season of action, sophomores Kellie Clinton and Hannah Pecis, along with Kelly Haugland and Rebecca Rusiecki, were able to battle the heat and a few injuries to place third and fourth respectfully in second and third doubles. Along with the experience gained in singles against top-notch competition by Lauren Grimaldi, Estrella Gonzalez, Alex Bakalich, and Erika Sterner, Coach Gaines has a lot to look forward to this year!
