A chemistry lesson for Waubonsie doubles team

This season was a whole new ballgame for Waubonsie Valley's state qualifying doubles team of Nichole Gruneisen and Emily Kreiner.

The Warriors juniors, who will take the court Thursday at Fremd against a 5-8- seeded doubles team from Lake Forest, did not expect to be partners this year and certainly didn't expect to make it to state.

But the pairing of Gruneisen, who made state last year with doubles partner Kelsey Armbruster, who graduated, and Kreiner, who is playing her first year of varsity tennis after a strong JV doubles season, has turned out to be a master move by Waubonsie Valley coach Phil Galow.

"I started the season at second singles," Gruneisen said. "We tried to team me up with another player but our styles clashed. With Emily there was instantaneous chemistry on the court."

While Gruneisen finds herself in a very different role with her new partner, Kreiner is in uncharted territory in her high school tennis career.

"Last year Kelsey, who was an experienced doubles player, was the leader when we were on the court," Gruneisen said. "This year I've taken that role. I've tried to take what Kelsey taught me and carry it over to Emily."

"I remember watching Nichole play when I was on JV last year," Kreiner said. "Then all of a sudden I was her partner. I was a little nervous because I didn't want to disappoint her. But it turns out that playing with her brings out the best of me."

Gruneisen is keenly aware of how much Kreiner has improved since they first stepped on the court together.

"She was shy and she wasn't aggressive at the net at first," Gruneisen said. "That's the way I was the year before. But I tried to encourage her. I told her to go for what you can. It's OK to make mistakes. You'll start to hit winners.

"Emily's net game has really improved. She's not intimidated at the net by the harder-hitting players."

Kreiner has also developed into a steady baseline player who sets up winning shots for the more experienced Gruneisen, who this year is more adept at attacking the net.

"I feel like I belong now," Kreiner said. "I've definitely grown as a player."

Galow agrees with that assessment.

"Emily's consistency in serving, and her play from the baseline is a great complement to Nichole's volleying skills," he said.

And according to both Galow and Gruneisen, Kreiner has been a steadying influence for her partner.

"Emily's calmness has gotten Nichole past trying to do too much on the court," Galow said. "Nichole is a power player with a lot of 'high-five' kind of spirit.

Now she has learned that consistency is a key ingredient in doubles success."

"I can get emotional on the court," Gruneisen said. "Emily tells me not to let my emotions get the better of me."

"I can't get too upset," Kreiner said. "Most of the time I keep it inside me and keep playing. I try to balance her out by keeping my cool. And she's able to keep playing her game without emotions getting in the way."

The Gruneisen-Kreiner partnership has shown steady improvement with each match. They have a 16-11 record, topped off by an impressive second-place finish in last week's West Aurora sectional as the third-seeded team.

Of course, more success breeds more responsibility, so Kreiner, an outstanding student (as is Gruneisen) who devotes a great deal of her energy to various choral groups at Waubonsie, has gotten more dedicated to improving her tennis game.

"I've had to put more time into tennis," Kreiner said. "Because there's more competition I've had to stay on top of the game and be committed. I've learned to place the ball and to use strategy, which I didn't do last year. At a varsity level you have to do that to win games."

Gruneisen with her experience at state, has also served as a mentor for Kreiner about the whole state experience.

"It's unbelievable," Gruneisen said. "When you get there and see the quality of players, it's an eye-opener. I'm going to tell Emily to go out there and have fun. We should just play our game and beat whoever we can. It's cool to just be a part of it."

State girls tennis seeded DuPage County qualifiers

Singles

See Name School

2 Hanna Mar Hinsdale Central

3-4 Katie Kargl Downers South

5-8 Jenny Hois Downers South

5-8 Kelly Barry York

9-16 Katie Klein Hinsdale Central

17-32 Bryna Nasenbeny Waubonsie Valley

Doubles

1 Courtney Dolehide-Nida Hamilton Hinsdale Central

5-8 Emily Lombardi-Alex Tapak Hinsdale Central

9-16 Amanda Schwartz-Ashlyn Selzer Glenbard West

17-32 Nathalie Cheng-Sherry Lin Downers South

17-32 Meg Bell-Sarah Delk Wheaton North

17-32 Stephanie Jenks-Melanie Milling WW South