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Schulte overcomes ankle injuries to reach state
By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor
For once, Keokuk junior Katie Schulte received some good news about an ankle injury.
Schulte, who has broken her left ankle twice, clinched a spot in the state tournament when she reached the district finals at Fairfield High School on May 15. Schulte was on the verge of winning a district title when her ankle buckled in the third set while hitting a backhand.
Schulte was forced to retire and wondered if her second trip to the state tournament had ended before it ever began.
Fortunately, the injury wasn't as bad as Schulte thought. X-rays proved to be negative, and she had the luxury of having two weeks to rehab the ankle before the start of the state tournament.
“I thought it was broken. I was just relieved when it wasn't,” Schulte said. “It's feeling a lot better. It's still swollen, but I think I'll be okay on it.”
Schulte leaves for the state tournament at Luther College in Decorah today. She will open the Class 1A State Tournament against Pella's Katie Allen Thursday morning.
“I'm just really glad I could make it a second time,” said Schulte, who finished eighth in the state last year in singles. “I just want to beat my brother Peter. He got sixth in state, so I'm hoping to do better.”
It's been an up-and-down season for Schulte this season. Injuries to the ankle prevented Schulte from playing matches during the winter and it affected her at the start of the spring season.
It also didn't help that Schulte was making the transition of being the No. 1 player on the team this year. Last year, Schulte was Keokuk's No. 3 singles player.
“I think there was some transition,” said Keokuk Head Coach Mark Marsot. “When you go from three to one, your level of competition increases significantly. I think that had to some with her early season, but I think it was more not being able to practice the first three weeks of the season. She went into the first weeks not up to form to where she needs to be to play at that level.”
Schulte's play did improve over the season. She scored Southeast Conference titles in singles and doubles to help the Chiefs tie Mount Pleasant for the conference team title.
“She went into that conference tournament and played great,” Marsot said. “That was a great accomplishment to go through the draw the way she did in both singles and doubles. She helped propel us to that first place conference finish.”
Schulte carried that momentum into the district tournament. She rolled to easy wins over three opponents, allowing just five games in six sets, to reach the finals.
“It was definitely the best I've played all season,” Schulte said. “I was hitting the ball really well and serving well that day. I just really wanted to get to state again.”
Schulte faced Fairfield's Rachele Petit in the final. Petit won both meetings in the regular season. The two did not play each other at the conference tournament.
“I had to lost to her pretty bad both times,” Schulte said. “The first time I had just come back to playing. I hadn't been allowed to play matches all winter because of my ankle. It was my first time back on the court. The next time I had just got this new brace, and I couldn't even move, so both times I got smoked by her.”
That wasn't the case in the third meeting. Schulte dropped the first set in a tie-breaker, but bounced back to win the second set 7-5. She served for the win at 5-4 in the third set and had a match point against Petit, but Petit fought back to take the game and tie the third set at 5-5.
“I was really happy to do that well against her at districts,” Schulte said. “I had her until the injury happened.”
Schulte suffered her ankle injury in the next game and was forced to retire.
“I was concerned, but I think it scared her because she had broken that ankle twice,” Marsot said. “She was upset. She was scared and greatly disappointed because she had that match won. If she could have went, she would have. It's just one of those things.
“I think a lot of it was a fatigue factor, playing a third set in her fourth match of the day. It's a long, tough day. That may have had something to do with it, but I think she will be ready physically.”
The outcome in the district final meant Schulte would face a district champion in the opening round at the state tournament. Schulte opens with Allen, who enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed.
“I saw her play last year,” Schulte said. “She's pretty good. I'll have to play pretty well to beat her.”
Allen is making her third trip to the state tournament. She finished fifth in 2006 and third last year.
Schulte is one of four players to return to the state tournament. Camanche's Chelsea Moore, the defending state champion, is the top seed and is on the other side of the bracket. Decorah's Jenny Dallenbach finished sixth last year.
Red Oak's Emily Gutschenritter and Holy Trinity's Lauren Booten competed in the doubles tournament last year.
“I think having experience at the state tournament will help her a lot,” Marsot said. “It's a pretty neat experience. They have turned it into a nice event. Getting up there and being with the level of those girls, she knows what she has in front of her. Hopefully, she is ready to step up to that plateau, but I think it will help her a lot. Any time you have experience at the next level, getting back there is easier.”
Schulte, who has broken her left ankle twice, clinched a spot in the state tournament when she reached the district finals at Fairfield High School on May 15. Schulte was on the verge of winning a district title when her ankle buckled in the third set while hitting a backhand.
Schulte was forced to retire and wondered if her second trip to the state tournament had ended before it ever began.
Fortunately, the injury wasn't as bad as Schulte thought. X-rays proved to be negative, and she had the luxury of having two weeks to rehab the ankle before the start of the state tournament.
“I thought it was broken. I was just relieved when it wasn't,” Schulte said. “It's feeling a lot better. It's still swollen, but I think I'll be okay on it.”
Schulte leaves for the state tournament at Luther College in Decorah today. She will open the Class 1A State Tournament against Pella's Katie Allen Thursday morning.
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It's been an up-and-down season for Schulte this season. Injuries to the ankle prevented Schulte from playing matches during the winter and it affected her at the start of the spring season.
It also didn't help that Schulte was making the transition of being the No. 1 player on the team this year. Last year, Schulte was Keokuk's No. 3 singles player.
“I think there was some transition,” said Keokuk Head Coach Mark Marsot. “When you go from three to one, your level of competition increases significantly. I think that had to some with her early season, but I think it was more not being able to practice the first three weeks of the season. She went into the first weeks not up to form to where she needs to be to play at that level.”
Schulte's play did improve over the season. She scored Southeast Conference titles in singles and doubles to help the Chiefs tie Mount Pleasant for the conference team title.
“She went into that conference tournament and played great,” Marsot said. “That was a great accomplishment to go through the draw the way she did in both singles and doubles. She helped propel us to that first place conference finish.”
Schulte carried that momentum into the district tournament. She rolled to easy wins over three opponents, allowing just five games in six sets, to reach the finals.
“It was definitely the best I've played all season,” Schulte said. “I was hitting the ball really well and serving well that day. I just really wanted to get to state again.”
Schulte faced Fairfield's Rachele Petit in the final. Petit won both meetings in the regular season. The two did not play each other at the conference tournament.
“I had to lost to her pretty bad both times,” Schulte said. “The first time I had just come back to playing. I hadn't been allowed to play matches all winter because of my ankle. It was my first time back on the court. The next time I had just got this new brace, and I couldn't even move, so both times I got smoked by her.”
That wasn't the case in the third meeting. Schulte dropped the first set in a tie-breaker, but bounced back to win the second set 7-5. She served for the win at 5-4 in the third set and had a match point against Petit, but Petit fought back to take the game and tie the third set at 5-5.
“I was really happy to do that well against her at districts,” Schulte said. “I had her until the injury happened.”
Schulte suffered her ankle injury in the next game and was forced to retire.
“I was concerned, but I think it scared her because she had broken that ankle twice,” Marsot said. “She was upset. She was scared and greatly disappointed because she had that match won. If she could have went, she would have. It's just one of those things.
“I think a lot of it was a fatigue factor, playing a third set in her fourth match of the day. It's a long, tough day. That may have had something to do with it, but I think she will be ready physically.”
The outcome in the district final meant Schulte would face a district champion in the opening round at the state tournament. Schulte opens with Allen, who enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed.
“I saw her play last year,” Schulte said. “She's pretty good. I'll have to play pretty well to beat her.”
Allen is making her third trip to the state tournament. She finished fifth in 2006 and third last year.
Schulte is one of four players to return to the state tournament. Camanche's Chelsea Moore, the defending state champion, is the top seed and is on the other side of the bracket. Decorah's Jenny Dallenbach finished sixth last year.
Red Oak's Emily Gutschenritter and Holy Trinity's Lauren Booten competed in the doubles tournament last year.
“I think having experience at the state tournament will help her a lot,” Marsot said. “It's a pretty neat experience. They have turned it into a nice event. Getting up there and being with the level of those girls, she knows what she has in front of her. Hopefully, she is ready to step up to that plateau, but I think it will help her a lot. Any time you have experience at the next level, getting back there is easier.”
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