Boys varsity tennis fell to Taft in a four hour match on Saturday by a score of 6-1. Once again though the score appears lopsided, it was a battle. The team is now back at a .500 record, with two wins and two losses overall.
Doubles competition started closely on every court, but Taft was able to pull away at all three spots midway through each proset. The most competitive match was at the #3 spot with the junior duo of Sparacio/McMahon fighting with all eyes on them to defeat Casserly/Knight, but the Taft team proved too steady at the end to pull through 8-5. The exhibition team of Naughton/Capella gave DA the lone doubles victory of the day, defeating Suri/Masterson 8-4.
Knowing singles was going to be a battle, the Doors were ready to fight. #2 Gunter Weldon and #4 Tai Feng won their first sets, keeping the hope for victory alive and well. On court 5, Anthony Sparacio lost a tight first set 7-5; simultaneously, #6 Walker Naughton also lost his first set but quickly found his range to pull ahead 3-0 in his second set. Knowing those four matches were winnable, the team kept competing and the energy in the pavilion was high.
Taft earned their second point of the day at #3, where senior Tom Molson’s defensive skills fell short against an aggressive opponent. Soon after, Sparacio lost his second set by another close 6-4 score. With Taft now leading 3-0, all four remaining singles players needed a win in order to clinch the match. Unfortunately, #1 Ethan Li was next to fall to a very talented junior Denzel Seetso, securing the win for the Rhinos. At that moment however, courts #2, 4, and 6- all playing next to each other- each entered deciding third set supertiebreakers. Only Walker Naughton was able to pull through in his match, ending it decisively 10-2 to secure DA’s only point of the day.
There were two exhibition singles matches that also went DA’s way; junior Christian Capella and senior Blix Salz both won their matches handily.
Next up, the team will travel to Loomis Chaffee on Wednesday, April 17 at 3pm for their fifth dual match of the season.
Results
Doubles order of finish: 1,2,3
#1. Seetso/Mettler (T) def. Li/Weldon (DA) 8-3
#2. Clarke/Abbott (T) def. Molson/Feng (DA) 8-4
#3. Casserly/Knight (T) def. Sparacio/McMahon (DA) 8-5
Exhibition: Naughton/Capella (DA) def. Suri/Masterson 8-4
Singles order of finish: 3,5,1,4,2,6
#1. Denzel Seetso (T) def. Ethan Li (DA) 6-0, 6-2
#2. Keyon’Dre Clarke (T) def. Gunter Weldon (DA) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7
#3. Shane Mettler (T) def. Tom Molson (DA) 6-1, 6-2
#4. Lachlan Abbott (T) def. Tai Feng (DA) 1-6, 7-5, 10-4
#5. Kaiel Casserly (T) def. Anthony Sparacio (DA) 7-5, 6-4
#6. Walker Naughton (DA) def. Thomson Knight (T) 3-6, 6-4, 10-2
Exhibition: Christian Capella (DA) def. Miller Masterson (T) 6-2, 6-2; Blix Salz (DA) def. Anmay Suri (T) 6-0, 6-1