Sports Editor

Lindsey Dietzman delivered the number-four singles title for Tomah, but it wasn’t quite enough for the Timberwolves to hold on to third place in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

La Crosse Central slipped past Tomah at Tuesday’s MVC meet and snatched third place in the season standings. Tomah won four of six MVC duals, including a 6-1 victory over Central Sept. 11, and entered the meet in third place before slipping to fourth in the final season tally.

It was still Tomah’s best MVC finish since taking fourth in 2003. The Timberwolves haven’t finished as high as third since 1996, when they finished second.

Dietzman did all she could to maintain Tomah’s standing. She won three matches in straight sets, including a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Onalaska’s Dani Hill in the championship round.

Dietzman’s first two victories were 6-3, 6-1, over Jennifer Geary of Holmen and 6-4, 6-1, over Caroline Steuer of Central.

“Lindsey is one of our most consistent players,” Tomah coach Cathy Brookman said. “She rarely misses a ball and also has the ability to hit a smart shot/winner when she needs to.”

Tomah’s next highest finish came at number-one singles, where the doubles team of Dana Lindley and Kala Lindley won two of three matches and captured third. They began with a 6-2, 6-2, victory over Maddie Skemp and Maggie Kotpoor of La Crosse Aquinas and lost, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) to Cassie Sundaram and Lizzie Kroker of Logan. They claimed third place with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Anna Medinger and Megan Smith of Holmen.

The Timberwolves also got first-round victories from number-two singles and number-three doubles. Emily Haines defeated Kim Rueshcler of Aquinas, 7-5, 6-4, in the first round before losing her next two matches and finishing fourth. The doubles team of Leah Kacvinsky and Michelle Losby defeated Abby Schoenfeld and Carly Kregerliz of Holmen, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, in the first round. They lost their next two and finished fourth.

The tournament was as balanced as it has ever been. Conference champion Onalaska won just two of the seven individual titles, and girls from four different schools won the four singles championships.

Final tournament scores: Onalaska 29, Logan 25, Aquinas 17, Central 16, Tomah 13, Holmen 5, Sparta 0.

Next for the Timberwolves is the WIAA Division 1 subsectional Monday at La Crosse Logan. Tomah and Logan will be joined by Baraboo, La Crosse Central, Onalaska, Reedsburg and Sparta.

Survivors advance to the Oct. 8 Baraboo Sectional held at Madison’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium.