Boys varsity tennis competed in the NEITA Team Championships and played their final match of the season against Taft on Saturday, May 18 in Watertown, CT. The team fell to the eventual runner-up by a score of 4-0.
Knowing it was going to be a fight after losing to Taft earlier this season, the Doors came out with more energy and a game plan on all three doubles courts. At #1, Ethan Li and Gunter Weldon tried to play more aggressively and held their own against a very strong duo for the first five games before Taft was able to pull away. On courts 2 and 3, DA found themselves down early but both teams battled hard to stay in the match. Tom Molson and Tai Feng at #2 almost tied things up, fighting back to 4-5, but ultimately fell 8-5 to clinch the doubles point for Taft. As they were finishing up, Anthony Sparacio and Blix Salz at #3 also faced a match point and were closed out 8-3.
Despite losing the doubles point, the Doors went into singles ready for an upset. Unfortunately, Taft proved too tough that day, with their #1, #3, and #5 players able to capture victories and send the Big Red onto the semi-final round. The highlight of the day though was watching freshman Gunter Weldon win his first set against a D1 tennis-bound senior 6-4 using impressive offense and unbelievable defense.
It was a great season for the Doors and with only two graduating seniors leaving us, next year is poised to be one of the best the team has seen in recent years. We wish nothing but the best for seniors Tom Molson and Blix Salz and look forward to next season’s competition!
Results
Doubles order of finish: 1,2,3
#1. Seetso/Mettler (T) def. Li/Weldon (DA) 8-4
#2. Clarke/Abbott (T) def. Molson/Feng (DA) 8-5
#3. Casserly/Knight (T) def. Sparacio/Salz (DA) 8-3
Singles order of finish: 3,5,1
#1. Daniel Seetso (T) def. Ethan Li (DA) 6-0, 6-1
#2. Gunter Weldon (DA) vs. Keyon’Dre Clarke (T) 6-4, unfinished
#3. Shane Mettler (T) def. Tom Molson (DA) 6-2, 6-1
#4. Tai Feng (DA) vs. Lachlan Abbott (T) 1-6, 3-4, unfinished
#5. Kaiel Casserly (T) def. Anthony Sparacio (DA) 6-3, 6-3
#6. Blix Salz (DA) vs. Thompson Knight (T) 5-7, unfinished