Trinity Lutheran’s boys tennis team dropped a home match 4-1 to Southwestern (Hanover) on Thursday.
First-year Cougars coach Danny Frastaci said the match was much closer than the score would lead many to believe as the Cougars only dropped a few key points to make the difference in the match.
“A few points here and there and it would have been a completely different story,” he said following the match. “It’s just a matter of finishing and finishing points out until the very end and finishing matches out.”
Frastaci said the match was a difficult one as it required a lot of physical stamina through the length of the match, which lasted two hours and 15 minutes.
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“They were out there for over two hours and we need to stay focused until the very end,” he said. “You’re out there and there are no substitutes coming in, there’s no clock that’s going to run out and you just have to win the points.”
Players also played through temperatures in the mid-90s when the match began.
Frastaci said it can be difficult for players to play in the heat because there is not much of a break.
“You’re also out in the open and there is no shade,” he said. “And it feels like it gets warmer and warmer because the heat radiates off the concrete.”
Jonathan Keith recorded the Cougars’ lone victory as he defeated the Rebels’ Skyler Wynn 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 singles.
Frastaci said he was impressed with Keith’s effort and was happy to see him get the win.
“Jonathan had a great match; he really put the hammer down in that second set to finish it,” he said. “He’s played well this week.”
Bailey Baker lost his his match 6-0, 6-1 to to the Rebels’ Tryston Wheatley at No. 1 singles.
In the No. 3 singles spot, Pierce McCammon lost a a battle to the Rebels’ Alex Philipp in a tiebreaker, 7-6(4), 6-2, 10-8.
No. 1 doubles also saw a battle between Trinity Lutheran’s Matt Stuckwisch and Hunter Morgan and the Rebels’ Luke Housley and Bailey Elliot.
The Cougars dropped the first set 6-4 but came back and won the second set 6-2.
That forced a third set, which they lost 6-2.
Jace Crockett and Caleb Gruenwald dropped their match 6-0, 6-1 to the Rebels’ Alex Ball and Chase Dunfee in No. 2 doubles action.
The Cougars (0-2) will host Bedford North Lawrence on Monday.