The Verona girls tennis team became trailblazers and will be the answer to the trivia question about which team won the first match at state.

The Wildcats made a run to the WIAA Division 1 state semifinal for the first time in the history of the program. Verona (22-6) clipped Homestead 4-3 in a Division 1 state quarterfinal 4-3 on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.

The Wildcats trailed Homestead 3-2 with two matches left. Both junior Naisha Nagpal at No. 2 singles and freshman McKenna Thorson at No. 1 singles won matches to clinch the victory. It marked the second time the Wildcats had edged Homestead this year.

“Those are the two players I wanted if we were going to be down 3-2,” Verona coach Mark Happel said. “This team did something no other Verona team has accomplished.”

On the next day, Verona lost to top-ranked Middleton in a state semifinal 5-2. Arrowhead defeated Middleton 5-2 in the state championship match.

Verona entered the state tournament as the fifth seed with a 3-1 record against other state qualifying teams. The Wildcats beat state champion Arrowhead 4-3 earlier in the season.

How would Happel have responded if someone told him before the season that the Verona girls tennis team would finish in the top four at team state?

“I would say we have a lot of work to do,” Happel said. “The girls worked hard and put in the time and were serious about the game.”

Middleton 5, Verona 2

Thorson missed the match with a wrist injury the last time Verona faced Middleton in a Big Eight Conference showdown and Happel shuffled the Wildcats’ lineup.

With Thorson in the lineup for the state semifinal, the Wildcats played the top-ranked Cardinals much closer this time. Thorson defeated Middleton’s Netra Somasundaram 6-0, 6-1. Both Thorson and Somasundaram were individual singles state qualifiers.

Nagpal at No. 2 singles clipped Middleton’s Lydia Sabat 6-4, 6-3. The Cardinals won the other two singles matches. At No. 3 singles, Middleton’s Sophie Shi defeated Verona junior Nicole Repka 6-0, 6-1 and the Cardinals’ Rishika Kommuri edged Verona junior Anna Dalebroux 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.

The Cardinals swept three doubles matches. Middleton’s Ashley Andler and Keena Cheng at No. 1 doubles – the individual state runner-ups – defeated Verona senior Annie Nick and sophomore Zoe Strunz 6-0, 6-1. The Cardinals’ No. 2 doubles team of Sarah Li and Sophia Pientka topped Verona senior Annalise Cooper and junior Alisa Krylova 6-4, 6-1. At No. 3 doubles, Middleton’s Hannah Lister and Mia Balistrei outlasted Verona junior Sierra Ejercito and Mia Vandermause 6-2, 6-3.

Verona 4, Homestead 3

The Wildcats swept all the singles matches to clip Homestead for the second time this season in a Division 1 state quarterfinal.

Two pivotal matches for the Wildcats came from Dalebroux at No. 4 singles and Repka at No. 3 singles. Dalebroux avenged an earlier season loss to Homestead’s Julia Nill and outlasted her in a 6-4, 6-3 win.

“That was a big match for Anna to win for us,” Happel said.

Repka trailed 5-4 in the first set against Homestead’s Rita Ferrero. Repka then won three straight games to pull out a 7-5 win. She cruised to a 6-1 victory in the second set.

“What was on my mind was my teammates, because not only do I play for myself, but it’s them that really pushes me to do better,” Repka said. “I learn so much from all of my teammates…They were the reason I knew I could push through it.”

Repka said there was pressure playing at team state because the No. 3 doubles team and Dalebroux were on different courts that she couldn’t see.

“I tried to stay calm and really think about my strokes,” she said.

Repka switched rackets right before team state and she had several double faults while serving.

“My serve is a lot different than with my old racket,” Repka said. “I felt like I have a stronger shot with this racket. I just told myself spin it, take a deep breath and it’s going to be OK. As long as I get it in play, that is all that matters.”

The Highlanders swept all the doubles matches. Homestead’s Ritu Nair and Melina Fiorentini at No. 1 doubles defeated Nick and Strunz 6-0, 6-0. At No. 2 doubles, the Highlanders’ Sofia Espinosa and Katherine Wasserman knocked off the Wildcats’ Cooper and Krylova 6-2, 6-2. Homestead’s No. 3 doubles team of Ricci Keely and Jacci Keely defeated Verona’s Ejercito and Vandermause 6-2, 6-4.

Both Nagpal and Thorson defeated individual state qualifiers of Homestead in the state quarterfinal. Nagpal at No. 2 singles defeated the Highlanders’ Elsa Heinrich 6-3, 6-3. With the team match on the line, Thorson rolled by Homestead’s Katelyn Rippl 6-2, 6-2 to secure the win.

“They were confident in what they could do and their ability,” Happel said of Nagpal and Thorson. “It was quite a feat.”