In their first dual match of the season, the boys varsity tennis team fell to Groton 7-0 at home. Despite the score, there were close matches in both doubles and singles and friendly competition all around.
In doubles, the #1 team of juniors Brick Johnson/Peh served well and were aggressive at the net which allowed them to pick up the lone win for DA, defeating their opponents 8-6. On the #2 court, Tom Molson and Ethan Li battled back from 1-7 but ultimately fell to 8-6 in an exciting nail-biter. At #3, Anthony Sparacio and Tai Feng battled hard but lost 8-3 to their steady, consistent opponents.
Despite losing the doubles point, the team went out ready to retaliate in singles. Unfortunately, the first three matches to finish were all losses for the Doors, with #2 Max Peh, #5 Anthony Sparacio, and #6 Tai Feng all playing consistent hitters who were able to draw errors and clinch the match win for Groton.
With three singles matches still playing there was hope for a close finish on all three courts; having lost a tight first set 6-4, junior Tom Molson tried to battle back at #4 in his first match since last season but ultimately lost the second set 6-2. That left co-captains Brick Johnson at #1 and Ethan Li at #3 battling in their matches. Johnson rallied back in the second set to send his match into a deciding 10-point breaker, but his opponent was a little tougher at the end and closed it out 10-6 for Groton. Li, after letting go of a 4-1 lead in the first set, was down 6-3, 5-3 but held serve and then broke his opponent to tie it at 5-5. Playing with heart in front of both teams, Li tried to stay aggressive but ended up falling 7-5.
Three players competed in their first exhibition matches as varsity teammates: senior Jack Willett and sophomores Walker Naughton and Ryan Diffley. Willet/Naughton won their doubles match 8-4, and Naughton and Diffley won their singles matches as well (8-6 and 6-1, 6-2 respectively).
The team will quickly get back to work as next up the Doors will be taking on KO in West Hartford on April 12.
RESULTS
Order of finish (doubles): 3,1,2
1. Johnson/Peh (DA) def. Wight/Gura (G) 8-6
2. L. Li/Vrattos (G) def. E. Li/Molson (DA) 8-6
3. Lionette/Lu (G) def. Sparacio/Feng (DA) 8-4
Order of finish (singles): 5,2,6,4,1,3
1 L. Li (G) def. Johnson (DA) 6-0, 3-6, 10-6
2 Wight (G) def. Peh (DA) 6-0, 6-3
3 Gura (G) def. E. Li (DA) 6-4, 7-5
4 Lionette (G) def. Molson (DA) 6-4, 6-2
5 Vrattos (G) def Sparacio (DA) 6-2, 6-1
6 Lu (G) def. Feng (DA) 6-2, 6-2