BELLEVILLE - Alton High had a huge day of singles on Saturday to finish in third place at the Southwestern Conference Tournament in Belleville. Alton was tied with O'Fallon for third place after doubles on Friday, behind Edwardsville and Belleville West. The Redbirds had five players finish in third place on Saturday to finish behind champion Edwardsville (63) and second place Bellevile West (46). The Redbirds finished with 41 points, ahead of O'Fallon (38), Belleville East (30), Collinsville (25), and East St. Louis (7).
Alton coach Jesse Macias reflected on the team's performance, noting their strong start on Friday. "Our number one team Lilly Schuler and Scarlett Eades and our number three team Arlie Hartmann and Jenna Fassler won their last match of the day over O'Fallon," he said. "Both teams beat O'Fallon teams who had beaten us in the regular season, so that really helped us with team points."
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On Saturday, Alton's players had a perfect first round, with all six advancing to the semifinals. In the final round, the Redbirds captured five of their six third-place matches.
Macias praised the efforts of his players, stating, "Lilly lost a great match at number one singles to a quality opponent. She was amazing in singles and doubles again and got the team some big points in the toughest brackets." He emphasized the significance of their victories, noting that each player defeated opponents who had previously beaten them during the regular season.
Reflecting on the overall experience, Macias said, "The last round of the day is brutal for everyone, and you have to grind to win it. For us to go 5-1 in the last round really is an accomplishment." He expressed pride in the team's hard work and dedication over the past four years.
The success at the conference tournament sets the stage for the Redbirds as they prepare for the IHSA sectionals, which begin Friday at Chatham Glenwood.
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