Comley and Binnion improve to 13-2 in leading West netters over Althoff

The Belleville West doubles tennis team of Kaylie Comley and Ellen Binnion has been on a certifiable roll.

The duo earned the doubles championship at the Champaign Centennial Tournament on Aug. 29 and last weekend helped the Maroons win the Bloomington Purple Tournament team title with another doubles crown.

Thursday on their home court, Comley and Binnion scored their 13th match win of the season in defeating the Althoff tandem of Emma Melichar and Madelyn Skinner, state qualifiers in 2013. The win capped the Maroons’ 8-1 team victory over the Crusaders.

“We have been on a roll,” said West coach Jenny Mennerick. “We’ve had some great matches, but the team is improving as a whole, which is the best part of what I’m seeing. We’re getting great match play experience”

Comley and Binnion defeated Melichar and Skinner 6-1, 6-4.

The pair bring contrasting individual styles to the doubles court. Comley plays a patient game and can sustain long volleys until her opponent makes a mistake. Binnion, the more animated and vocal of the two, relies on a power game.

“Kaylie keeps it going and gets me to put the ball away,” Binnion said.

It’s a combination that works.

“In fact, I don’t think two alike players really works very well,” Comley added.

Melichar defeated Comley at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-2, for Althoff’s only match win. It’s just the second time the two Belleville players have faced each other. Comley beat Melichar in last year’s sectional.

“They are both very patient players and it’s just a matter of who is able to outlast the other,” Mennerick said. “Today, Emma did a great job of that. She did a good job of moving the ball around and creating some angles.”

Melichar also plays a patient game which set up many long volleys throughout the two-set match.

“She’s an excellent player,” Melichar said. “She likes to lob, but she’s gotten better with her under strokes. I just worked it more back and forth until it wore her down.”

At No. 2 singles, Belleville West senior Keely Lougeay defeated Althoff’s Skinner 6-3, 6-0.

Lougeay said she struggled in the first set until settled into her more aggressive style. She was in control throughout the second set.

“The first set was really back and forth and made me nervous,” she said. “Skinner is the type who can hit the ball back and forth all day and I found myself on the defensive, which threw me off. I was able to play my game in the second set and be more aggressive.”

West heads to Normal again this weekend for a two-day dual tournament. Althoff is at Granite City on Monday.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 11:29 PM with the headline "Comley and Binnion improve to 13-2 in leading West netters over Althoff."