I really like the way... Sectional Semi-Final v. Bremen

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Recap
In the first round of Sectional, the Bruins took on the Bremen Lions. Fans gathered to see if the Bruins could turn around a 3-2 loss to the Lions from earlier in the season. 

And the Bruins came out on fire. All five positions took leads early in the first sets. Noah played close games where he wasn't quite finding his best game, but was often winning the big points. Noah's opponent was really swinging away at his shots tonight, hitting much bigger serves and attacking groundstrokes than the last time we faced the Lions. His attacking style forced some errors, but Noah was able to find the right shot at the big moments. Though the match wasn't moving quickly, Noah build a 4-1 lead and was able to close out the first set.

Gideon was in a great place, serving well and being patient, making his opponent hit multiple volleys to win points. His opponent was always trying to put pressure on, either by making the points long and consistent or by driving a low ball and attacking the net. Today, Gideon was keeping cool and making the Bremen player dig out tough low volleys if he attacked. That was setting Gideon up with mid-court balls to make the passing shots. After trailing 2-1 on serve, Gid ran off a series of 8 straight excellent games to take the first set and stretch out to a 3-0 lead in the second. It was great tennis, on the front foot and in control of points without overhitting.

Judah was also playing well. His style of staying on his toes and never giving in was paying dividends. His Lion opponent had beautiful groundstrokes, with plenty of power. But Judah was a pro at finding the right shots to draw errors. He hit his forehand cross court to drive into the left-handed player's backhand. He found a variety of shots to move the Bremen #3 around the court. Judah played with great tempo and confidence, winning the first set and moving ahead in the second.

At the doubles, Emerson and Keagan were sharp, the perfect balance of placement and pace. The groundstrokes in this early part of the match were so beautiful, driving the Lions deep back in the court. We were also sniping off points at the net. What I loved early in the match is that Emerson and Keagan were really winning the big points, putting the games into deuce and then getting the Ad. It was nip and tuck close, but we were staying in a positive mindset. 

And Malachi and Ethan were forcing errors as they drove forward in the court. These two did a great job serving and being a presence at the net. It was something else to see Ethan flying around the back of the court, and then Malachi back and forth at the net. It was a great first set for the Bruins, converting on their energy and putting it into footwork and form. Their pointed and intentional tennis pushed their opponents back, and many Lion shots ended up in net or drifted long. 

So, the Bruins ended up winning first sets at 4 of the 5 positions. Gideon continued his great play on the day, and was the first to serve out his match and win the first team point for the Bruins. It was a great win for Gideon, turning around a spot that we had lost when we faced the Lions at the Bremen Invitational. 

#1D had lost a really close first set, down to just the difference of one break of serve. Their opponents had continually gotten more consistent throughout the first set. This continued in the second. Without errors from their opponents, more was required of the #1D's shot and net attacking. They've shown this ability throughout the year, in matches like Northridge and Jimtown. But tonight, the attacking balls seemed to clip the tape or sail a bit wide. The Lions took the #1D spot.

But Noah followed with a victory, fending off an opponent who was playing inspired with some patient points. Noah continues to be the champion of our program, winning in ways that get the job done. Tonight, his forehand really helped him, and he provided the second point for the Bruins.

The final point of the Bruin victory was provided by Judah, who held off nerves and an amazing set from his opponent to seal the Semi-Final win. In the second, Judah led 5-2 when his opponent just decided to lock-in and not hit any balls out. Trying to finish out the match was a challenge, but Judah served a great game, and played an excellent match point, hitting so well and watching an opponent backhand fly past the baseline for the win.

#2D had journeyed into a third set at this point, which they didn't end up winning. They had continued to have moments of great aggression, taking a 2-1 lead in the final set. But some errors began to pile up and their opponents had tightened the screws on their own games. Malachi and Ethan needed to force some errors but found themselves a bit too much on the back foot. They cheered as Judah provided the point to move the Bruins on to the Sectional Final, and they'll be ready to attack that match.

So the Bruins had a 3-2 victory and are into the Sectional final. So proud of the calm confidence we showed tonight. It was a great way to start off a Sectional.

Let's go Bruins!

I really like the way...

This will be a segment of each match report where I'll highlight amazing things - points, efforts, encouragements from the match.

- I really like the way the JV supported us

I could hear them throughout the match. Calling out, getting the varsity guys to echo back. Giving energy to the places that we needed energy. In every match, we need the encouragement and support. Those outside the fence play such a crucial role in getting the team over the finish line. I loved the way our JV were positive and electric, and filled us with belief tonight.

- I really like the way we started the match

We talked before the match about coming out calm and confident. We did exactly that. I could really feel the belief in that early part of the match. Every court was decisive in their movement and groundstrokes. I believe that is what confidence really brings, a simplicity that allows us to have fun with what tennis is really about: swinging away at that moving target and enjoying ourselves as we face that challenge. I loved the way we did that!

- I really like the way we continue to be

I'll say it over and over. I like this team, this group of people. From the seniors to the 9th graders, this is a fun group to hang out with. Thanks for being there together today!

Prayer
God, we are grateful again for another beautiful day of tennis. Grateful for another day with our team. Grateful for the people you are moving us to be. Ultimately, we want to pursue trust in You over everything else. We know that we might not always succeed, but we believe that the desire to please You does please You. We thank You for the attitudes You enable us to have, and we pray for moments of joy that we can share with one another. We pray that we show Your loving and supportive care to each other as well. Thanks for all that You are, for Your way in the world.

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-2, 6-3 - Brock Ginter (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-2, 6-2 - Chase Devine (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-0, 6-4 - Corbin VanVuren (11)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 3-6, 1-6 - Max Barnes (11)/Maddux Hickman (11)
#2D - Ethan Claassen/Malachi Yoder - 6-3, 2-6, 2-6 - Micah Porter (11)/Blake Grove (12)

I really like the way... Bremen Invite

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Bremen Recap
We entered the Bremen tournament excited about our competition. Throughout the course of the day, we were going to play three teams with a combined record of 29-5. Two of the teams were district ranked. It was going to be a day of solid competition.

We started out by playing the host, Bremen Lions. It started good and bad... Noah and Judah continued consistent play from the NorthWood match and took early leads. Both of these guys were moving well and dealing with whatever their Lion opponents were sending their way. Judah especially had a nice rhythm in this match, not intimidated by long points. Noah continued his best game of variety. So this was great.

But both #1D and Gideon struggled. Their opponents came out attacking and put us on the back foot. Gideon's opponents really knifed approach shots through the court, and Gid didn't react or attack as well on these shots. So often it looked like the shots would clip the tape, but again and again they came over. Gid seemed frustrated and couldn't get his momentum into the match.

At #1D, we just didn't look like we were in control of the match, and didn't seem like we knew how we'd get there. But Keagan and Emerson flipped a switch in their second set. As Noah and Judah completed singles victories, Keagan and Emerson took their match to a third set tiebreak. They had really started hitting balls with purpose and moving easily and smoothly - not overcommitting or guessing. They played aggressive and really seemed to be in the driver's seat. But tied at 7-7, Emerson slightly turned his ankle getting ready to hit. This put a bit of tentativity into their game, and they fell. 

The match came down to #2D, but we couldn't really find a foot hold in Dominic and Ethan's match. We simply missed too many shots without giving the Lions a chance to miss their own. We made a brief rally in the second set, a habit that I am really proud to see. But we couldn't come all the way back, and so we lost to the Lions, 3-2.

Wawasee Recap

In the next round, the undefeated Warriors of Wawasee were the opponent. Judah and Gideon fought valiantly in their singles matches against undefeated opponents, Judah actually leading in the first set and Gid taking an early lead in the second. But their opponents recovered with smooth and low error tennis to take these two spots. 

#1D again had moments of control and brilliance, staying right in their first set. Time and time again, they  couldn't land the final, finishing shots. #2D went against some difficult opponents, and got rocked back on their heels a little. Late in the match they continued the habit of start of finding more moments of consistency. There were some great things to build on in both doubles matches. 

The highlight was Noah's match at #1S. After losing the first set 6-2, Noah made a strategic change in the second set. As he did, Noah began to see openings for passing shots and attacking balls. He began to find success, and took the set comfortably, forcing a deciding third. Leading 9-5 in the tiebreak to 10, Noah lost 4 match points in a row. To his incredible credit, he recovered and closed out the match with two brilliant points to win the sole position for the Bruins in this match.

Fremont Recap

Finally, against Fremont. Noah comfortably won, finishing up a 3-0 day and putting him in a tie for most career wins in Bethany history. He now has won 59 matches across the span of his career. Congrats Noah!

Gideon also grabbed a win. He jumped out to a first set lead but then became a bit tentative and lost the confidence behind his shots. Despite falling behind 5-6 in the first set, he forced a tiebreak. But he lost that first set tiebreak in a close fashion. He had to come from behind. But his methodical and confident style began to pay dividends in the second set. He won the second set 6-0. With the momentum going into the third set deciding tiebreak, he took a 6-0 lead and continued to control the match all the way to the end. Gideon won putting the Bruins up 2-0.

We needed a point elsewhere to win the match, but we couldn't find it. Each of the other matches had really good moments - Judah changing strategy quickly to something that put more pressure on his opponent, Keagan and Emerson stringing together close games, and Dominic and Ethan really making a rally and trying to make an epic comeback to force a deciding third set. We couldn't quite get there, and the Eagles took the 3-2 victory.

Overall, I really liked the way that the tournament was a great learning day for the Bruins. We got better by witnessing Noah's history, dealing with difficult emotions and physical challenges on a long, hot day. Now we take those lessons and return to our way - positive, electric, and believing in our ability. We've got this!

Let's go Bruins!

I really like the way...

This will be a segment of each match report where I'll highlight amazing things - points, efforts, encouragements from the match.

- I really like the way we celebrated with Noah

Despite a difficult day throughout the team, we were over the moon for Noah's close and consistent matches. Teammates gathered round to cheer for his third set win over Wawasee. Everyone was happy for him as we took the bus home after the match. It was an incredible thing to see us exhausted but happy for a friend.

- I really like the way Isaya helped throughout the day

Traveling along as a JV player and an emergency back-up, Isaya knew that he might not get to play. But he was so helpful in so many ways. He took video, filled water bottles, cheered and tried to get our echo going - that was my favorite. I just appreciate someone who is willing to jump in, learn and be ready for their opportunity. Thanks Isaya!

- I really like the way we play when we just let go and play confident

When we stay in the moment and trust our game, we really play some "front foot" tennis. Tennis where we are in control of the points and doing damage. Tennis where we are getting the opportunities. We keep our heads up and brush off errors. We clap our opponent's good shots and echo out positivity to our teammates. I love to see this type of tennis - and I saw it at many moments today. May it become our regular level!

Prayer

God, it was a long and tiring day. These days can sap the energy right out of us. Give us the hope to rest, to renew, to worship. Help us to come back feeling renewed.

Amen.

Scores

vs. Bremen

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-2 - Brock Ginter (12) 

#2S - Gideon Miller - 2-6, 0-6 - Chase Devine (10)

#3S - Judah Miller - 6-2, 6-2 - Corbin VanVuren (11)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 2-6, 6-3, 7-10 - Max Barnes (11)/Maddux Hickman (11)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 1-6, 2-6 - Blake Grove (12)/Micah Porter (11)

vs. Wawasee

#1S - Noah Schrock - 2-6, 6-2, 11-9 - Joey Harper (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 2-6, 2-6 - Pablo Mor Chocos (12)

#3S - Judah Miller - 4-6, 0-6 - Kane Dukes (12)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 3-6, 0-6 - Evan Byler (12)/Dane Cripe (12)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 2-6, 0-6 - Braydon Miller (12)/Austin Harney (11)

vs. Fremont

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Colton Guthrie (12)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-7 (5), 6-0, 10-2 - Tyler Miller (11)

#3S - Judah Miller - 2-6, 3-6 - Ryan Baker (11)

#1D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 0-6, 0-6 - Zander Reetz (11)/Jake Hilvers (11)
#2D - Dominic Ramer/Ethan Claassen - 1-6, 3-6 - Trevor Reetz (12)/Charlie Senecal (11)

Match Reports #5, #6, #7 - Bremen Invitational

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Tournament Review

Today's tourney was a triple duel, meaning that we played three team matches in a row and the winner of the tournament was the team with the best record at the end of the day. This can be an exciting format, because the champion is really team-based rather than just on individuals. 

And it would be a good test of our team. After the early season, we decided to shake up the lineup a bit. Cameron moved back to his singles position and Breece moved back to doubles, where they had both played last year. Our freshman, Gideon, got a chance to slide into a #1D slot, while Tristan took his #1 experience and moved to #2D. The team needed to trust new places and partnerships, and learn them quickly.

We started the day against Wawasee, a team that we've never really played outside of summer league matches. We didn't really know what to expect, but luckily we were coming in off of a good warmup and feeling good about the match. And the matches got off to good starts. Oscar and Noah both took large early leads in their singles matches. It was evident early that the players they were up against were going to have trouble with consistency. So Noah and Oscar controlled the points with great serves and solid rally strokes. Meanwhile, Wawasee's #1S was a different story. He was a powerful player who had great touch on his volleys. He came to the net often, and made Cameron hit more passing shots and lobs. Which meant that Cameron came up with some beautiful ones. But he couldn't quite get over the and into the lead. Cam often had the points to take games, but couldn't quite find the finishing touches. So in the singles matches we went 2-1. 

That meant we needed one doubles point to clinch the match. Fortunately for us, both doubles teams performed well, and we got both. Breece and Gideon jelled quickly as a duo, and overwhelmed Wawasee with power, placement, and scrambling. And at #2D, Tristan and Ian struggled a bit to find a first set rhythm, but then got really rolling at the end of the first set and were the aggressors in their match. They controlled the mid-court of the match so well. So it was a strong start for the Bruins all around as we sealed the first match 4-1.

On to Bremen, who had lost an incredibly close match to Fremont in the first round. And we found our opponents in widely different runs of form. Some of the players who had lost close first matches were down, and found it difficult to find form. Those who had pulled out the close ones, they were playing their best tennis. It made for some really interesting matches.

The first matches out on the courts this round all started out really well. Cam took an early lead as his opponent started out making mistakes and Cam took advantage. Noah took a huge lead as his opponent was having trouble even getting the first ball of the rally in. Gideon and Breece started off with some great tennis, taking an early lead in their first set as well. 

As these matches continued, Noah was able to just not make mistakes and allow his opponent to make the early errors in points. As the match wore on, his opponent found better form. The games got much tighter but Noah was able to force errors or find passing shots on the crucial points. The second set was closer than the scoreline, but Noah was able to come out on top. For Cam, his opponent began to really show his class after going down early. Big serves and big forehands made tough work for Cam, but he really stayed in every game. He pushed his Lion opponent around the court, but it seemed like something clicked for the Bremen #1. So Cam ended up falling in lots of close games.

With the singles split at 1-1, Breece and Gid really found a nice rhythm in their match. They were starting to play doubles like it should be played, smart and aggressive. Breece's serve set up Gideon for a couple of great finishing slams, and Breece's solid net play and net coverage was also a joy to watch. In the end, they had to much power and control and took a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

With two points secured, heads turned to #2D, where Tristan paired with Emerson. It was tight, but like I wrote about in the Fremont match, we put the pressure on the Lions by always staying just slightly ahead in the scoreline. A lot of that was due to our excellent serving. Tristan and Emerson both were putting the pressure on with their first serves. And then they were able to scramble through points and keep them alive. 

This ability in doubles is something that is really underrated. There are so many mishits, shanks, short volleys, or half lobs that happen in a doubles match. It's really important to be able to adjust on the fly and find the court. To keep the point alive and get yourself into aggressive positions when you can't take aggressive shots. Emerson and Tristan were able to win those 50-50 breakdown points in this match. It helped them always keep their nose in front, winning the first set 6-3 and then taking 5-4 lead in the final set. On match point, they had one of those scrambling points, and Emerson scooped it up and forced an error. Tristan and Emerson secured the third team point for us, giving us our second team win on the day! You can watch that final point of the Bremen match below.

Meanwhile, Oscar went out to play his match against Bremen's #3. Bremen's player was a left handed player, and he was hitting every spot he wanted. He looked on fire, as Oscar would hit a blistering shot down the line and it would simple come back on the other sideline. Unfortunately, somewhere in the first set Oscar's injury began to flare up, and in the second set it was too much. He had to stop play. That was disappointing for him, but we're hoping he gets back to full health quickly.

Still, a victory over Bremen meant that we moved on to Fremont and it was basically a championship match. Fremont had also defeated Wawasee, and we were both 2-0 on the day. The winner of our match would be the tournament champion.

This match started off really well for the Bruins. Noah, #1D, and #2D really started out with great belief and intention. Tristan and Emerson were really forcing errors and finishing points off at #2D. They were continuing to put the pressure on with good serves. Gideon and Breece were continuing their great net play and more. Noah had won a long match against this same opponent on Thursday night, winning in a third set tiebreak. Today, in a tired third round, his opponent didn't even bring the same tactics that he had been successful with in the Thursday night match. So Noah was able to build a big lead in the first set. 

Cameron however struggled with Fremont's #1S. Again, Fremont's #1 had built confidence through the day. He had won two close matches, so really played his best in the first set. Cameron again pushed so many games to deuce or had game points. But couldn't get the first set. So we captured the first set in 3 of the 4 matches that were on the court. 

But all the second sets tightened up. Cameron brought pressure to the second set, finding passing shots and long rallies to keep his match alive and make it full of nerves. Fremont brought their best tennis to the doubles matches, taking a 4-1 lead at #1D and taking the second set of #2D. Only Noah was able to maintain his edge, finishing off his second set and giving the Bruins a 1-0 team lead.

As the second sets grew close, #2D was the first to finish. The Eagles won the set and that took it to a third set tiebreak to 10. The Eagles started out quickly, taking a 5-2 lead. But Emerson and Tristan stayed committed, kept belief. They fought back to finally tie the breaker at 7-7 with an excellent serve by Emerson. But then they couldn't quite edge ahead. Instead they went down 8-7 and felt the pressure, and ended up losing the third set breaker. So the score tied at 1-1.

Cameron played extremely hard in his set. He hung right around, keeping the score close. Again, he never edged ahead, and at the end of the set, his Eagle opponent was able to find the breakthrough. Soon after the #2D tiebreak ended, Cam's second set ended and we were down 2-1. 

At #1D, Gideon and Breece mounted a comeback. From 4-1 down they won three straight. Here they were rediscovering some of their movement and power that they had lost to timidity in going down. But at 4-4 they lost a game, going down 5-4 with the chance to lose the set. However, they held their nerve, broke serve and then Breece held to give them a 6-5 lead for themselves. In the next game, they build a 15-40 lead and had two match points. However a clever volley from the Eagles and a missed return took it back to deuce. They earned two more match points from there, but couldn't put those away either, and the second set went to a tiebreak. 

In the tiebreak, Gideon and Breece were able to build a lead of 6-4 after a nice smash by Gideon and a great serve by Breece. However, once again they were denied on match points. Tied at 6-6, Gideon served and Breece finished off a great net play to give them another chance. This time they closed it out after a nice return from Breece and an error from their opponents. 

So tied at 2-2, all eyes turned to #3S. Ian McHugh was stepping in for us in Oscar Pairitz's place. It was a tough spot for Ian, as he's been practicing doubles all season. But he responded. After falling behind in the first set, he rediscovered his serve. This allowed him to really put the pressure on his Eagle opponent with long consistent points. He was able to pull a few games back, but ultimately lost the first set. In the second set, the senior #3S player for Fremont really stepped up his hitting. He went for more power and forced Ian back onto this heels more. Ian kept up the belief, but had a few too many errors in his first singles match. It ended up going the way of the Eagles, and they took home the trophy with a 3-2 win.

I was incredibly proud of our team in this one. In many ways, it felt like a championship. We competed in nervy situations, won close matches, and got to experience growth in new positions. We stayed positive with a lot of adversity around us. Our strokes and strategies are growing. We can do it! That was a good feeling.

Moments of Joy
These are going to be moments that I saw in the match that were fun, beautiful and memorable! Again, just from what I happened to see :-)

I'll give more details soon, but here are the highlights for now!

Gideon getting knocked down but winning the point!

During the Fremont match, Gideon and Breece had a stretch where they were playing unbelievable, especially at the net. Fremont couldn't get anything past them. So much so that the Eagle players were getting angry. In frustration, one of the players blasted a ball at Gideon with all of his might. The ball knocked Gideon backwards, onto his behind. But he got his racket up first, and the ball ticked off his racket for the perfect drop shot :-)

Tristan's un-get-able drop shot!

Speaking of drop shots, against Bremen, T had one of the best shots I've seen all year. The touch was incredible. After Emerson's serve, a forehand return was blasted at Tristan. He reacted quickly, slicing underneath it while moving to the side. The ball curled over the net and backed up, just an inch off the ground. Bremen's coach was even walking past and remarked, "What a shot!"

Breece's roll along the net!

In the match against Fremont, Breece had the craziest shot. Off of a half volley, the ball tip the tape. Then it rolled along the net, from the middle of the court almost all the way to the single's sideline! It then took one more forward roll onto the opponent's side. Breece was laughing and asking if anyone got a video. We didn't though :-( It was such a fun moment!

Cameron's running forehand!

Maybe one of our best shots of the year. Cameron had to deal with his opponents often coming to the net. During the Wawasee match, he found himself down set point. His opponent sent him into the backhand corner with his serve, then swung an approach shot over to the forehand corner. Cameron took off at a dead sprint and whipped it down the line, landing it right on the backline and the sideline, but keeping himself alive in the set. Here's the shot in the video below!

Emerson's ace!

Serving in his first match with Tristan, Emerson got off to a great start. On his first serve he drew a return error. On his second serve he slammed an ace down the middle. It was cool to see him get off on a good foot with this new partnership. See his ace below as well!

Overheads! Overheads! Overheads!

I mean, this isn't very specific, but we hit great overheads today. Breece, Noah, Gideon, Emerson, Tristan, Ian... we had a lot of fun, aggressive putaways - and I just loved that!

Moments of Encouragement
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Attitudes

We made a lot of changes headed into this match yesterday. It would have been easy for people to be resentful, fearful, angry or many other things. But the guys came into this match with the best attitudes. They had so much support for those in new places, for the guys who had been shifted into their old spots. The positivity of the day was amazing, even when the last round didn't quite work out. I love a good tournament day, where the sun shines and the team comes together. And it was amazing to see these guys adjust and stay encouraging! That's why it's a joy to coach all of you!

Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

God, today was a day of good feelings. But it was also a day of difficulties. Thanks for helping us face those difficulties with joy and encouragement. We pray for Your presence, we pray for Your healing, we pray for continued joy. God, may we be grateful for the blessings, grateful for the support, and always looking to build one another up. Amen.

Scores

Round 1 vs. Wawasee

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 3-6, 3-6 - Joey Harper (10)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Will Long (11)

#3S - Oscar Pairitz - 6-1, 6-0 - Dane Cripe (10)

#1D - Breece Erickson/Gideon Miller - 6-2, 6-1 - Jay Duncan (12)/Kane Dukes (10)

#2D - Tristan Mast/Ian McHugh - 6-3, 6-0 - Evan Byler (10)/Caden Pratt (11)

Round 2 vs. Bremen

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 3-6, 0-6 - Mariano DeLeon (12)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-1 - Camden Hickman (11)

#3S - Oscar Pairitz - 1-6, 0-3 (ret.) - Max Varner (11)

#1D - Breece Erickson/Gideon Miller - 6-3, 6-1 - Brock Garder (10)/Micah Porter (9)

#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis - 6-3, 6-4 - Landon Bates (9)/Maddux Hickman (9)

Round 3 vs. Fremont

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 2-6, 3-6 - Brody Foulk (11)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-1 - Colten Guthrie (10)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 3-6, 1-6 - Jeremy Rode (12)

#1D - Breece Erickson/Gideon Miller - 6-1, 7-6 (6) - Aiden Dornbush (12)/Andrew McAntarfer (11)

#2D - Tristan Mast/Emerson Landis - 6-2, 3-6, 7-10 - Corbin Beeman (11)/Tyler Miller (9)

Letters from Bremen

Dear Team,
Let me start by saying good job! We've raised our record to 13-2 and the JV to 15-1-1. We took care of business on a night that always feels a little odd. It is the last competition for us in a long stretch. Do you realize that over the last 8 days we've played 8 matches? So if you felt a little competition weary in your play last night, that's probably why!

Of course, let's think about what we've done in those 8 matches. Both varsity and JV picked up 5 dual wins. The varsity won a team championship at Merrillville and 3 individual titles, while the JV picked up a 3rd place in the Fremont Invite - where Jacob Gonsalves got 2nd. That's a pretty impressive stretch! In fact, it's close to perfect.

All I've been asking this season is that we focus on how we want to play and get better. I think this part of the season says that we did. In our 5 dual matches, we defeated 4 teams with winning records. Between the matches and the tourney, the varsity team bested two district ranked opponents (Elkhart Central and then Centerville at Merrillville). No one on the varsity has a losing record. The JV team has at least two players who have broken the record for most JV wins in a season (set just last year by Ethan Lapp).

And while that's been awesome, the wear and tear showed a little bit last night. I'd say that at each position, we didn't quite play "how we want to." Still, it was a good showing. We won the matches we needed to in order to get the wins and we didn't make it a nerve-wracking ending in doing so. We sang Sarasponda in a most unorderly and out-of-tune fashion and drove away from Bremen with a win.

Dear Jesse,
Excellent match tonight. As I told you in the hallway at school, this was a good victory over a good opponent. I'm most proud of the way that you were able to keep your calm in the third set. After not playing your best and battling negativity in the second set, he won the first game of the third. And yet you didn't get too far down. Bremen's coach shouted to his player in starting the second game of the set that it was a big game. He was right, after that second game lasted 10 minutes, you won it. Then you turned around and quickly won the 3rd game to take a 2-1 lead. And 10 minutes later, the whole match was over. You seized momentum did a great job.

I don't think I've ever really complimented you enough for the way you've handled the #1S position this year. You now have more wins than Abe piled up last year, with at least 3 matches to go. And Abe was a solid #1. You are more than solid, you are good. I'm glad your hard work got paid off last night. I think there may be even better things ahead.

Dear Byeong,
Good recovery, but from now on, let's keep track of the score better :-) Same could be said for Sol and Jesse, who both lost track of the score at points tonight. Honestly though, that was a weird situation in the middle of your match, and I'm sure it was hard to handle. You felt like you had won a set, and then all the sudden it was back to 5-3 in the first, and you had to win it all over again. Great job getting in control of your emotions again, and then finishing things out with 7 straight games. These "mental wins" should serve as a good memory bank if you are under pressure again. You've done it under pressure before, remember how well you can play in these situations and play with confidence when they come again.

Dear Lucas,
The last two singles matches have really shown your potential. I've been so impressed at the way you work points, finding angles, forcing short balls. You play with a natural tactician's skill and eye. That's what I love about you as a coach: you think like a coach. Your ball hitting skills have gotten so much better this year too. I can't wait to teach you the other skills and watch you grow even more.

Dear God,
Breathe your joy into us. Revive us with Your Spirit. Bring us back to where we started this year, yearning for sheer and savage joy!

Moment of Sheer Beauty
Best point of this team match occurred in the third set of Jesse's #1S match. It may have been the single point that changed the whole complexion of his match. With Krent Hueni leading 1-0, 30-30 in the game, Jesse and Hueni played one of the longest points that I've seen all year. Back and forth the ball went, both players sticking to the baseline, both players hitting the ball deep, both players staying safe. During the point, Sol turned to me and said this could be a long third set with points like this. I said it could be, or Jesse might get aggressive. Just as I said that, Jesse stepped close to the baseline and hit hard forehand into Hueni's backhand. Hueni gave a ball that bounced weakly by the service line and Jesse struck it into the forehand corner with authority. Hueni hustled over and tried another deep groundstroke, but the pace, speed and placement of Jesse's shot were just enough to help push his ball inches long. Jesse went on to win that game, and the next 5 after.

Moment of Savage Beauty
No shot in anyone's arsenal makes opponents more frustrated than Byeong's drop volley. He hits them into the corner and then gives them no chance to get back. In this match, Byeong's match got tight at 5-4. But in that final game to grab the set, his opponent got frazzled as Byeong put together an excellent series of points. The final point came from hitting deep to the backhand and then finishing with a simple forehand drop volley. It was savage because there was nothing his opponent could do. Sometimes that's the beauty, a perfectly played point that therefore frustrates your opponent because they couldn't play it any better, but still lost the point.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 - Krent Hueni (12)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-4, 6-0 - Bryce Devine (11)
#3S - Sol Brennenam - 6-4, 6-0 - Zac Burkholder (9)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 5-7, 5-7 - Austin Ingle (12)/Tommy Foster (11)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-2, 6-0 - Ryker Hand (11)/Chandler Snyder (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jacob Gonsalves - 5-8 - Bryce Sterling (9)
#2SJV - Jackson King - 8-3 - Jake Strehler (9)
#3SJV - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes - 8-0 - Evan Reed (10)
#1DJV - Lane Miller/Brandon Nguyen - 8-4 - Josh Ukinski (11)/Bryce Tolle (9)
#2DJV - Dustin Miller/Jonathan Yousey - 8-1 - Brian Cruz (9)/Jordan Thornton (9)
#3DJV - Daniel Robles/Joel Yoder - 6-8 - Hudson Thornton (10)/Seth Stine (9)

Chapter 18 - vs. Bremen

As the light goes, go.

- from "What I Know About Epistemology" by John Surowiecki

The seniors wrapped up their home season tonight, defeating the Bremen Lions at all of our senior spots. Parth Patel picked up his 10th win of the season, the first of his 3 varsity seasons where he's reached double digits. Joel Gerig has his highest win total as well, clocking in at 13 now on the season. Justin Zehr, in fact, picked up his 9th win, which is one more than last year. And Abe Thorne, well, he got another win last night too, his 20th singles win of his career.

All in all, these senior Bruins have been part of 35 varsity wins. They've played their roles on the JV as well, preparing themselves. They have been great teammates, had so much fun. And hopefully, they are well prepared for the future.

As tennis goes, tonight went well. Abe has figured out a style of play that has brought him a lot of recent success. After starting the season slowly, Abe is 3-3 in his last 6 matches. His attacking style went a little overboard at times tonight (a volley slammed over the first row of cars in the parking lot :-) but provided the needed energy and confidence for a quick win.

Jesse Amstutz lost his first game, looked troubled and worried. A quick strategy adjustment and 12 straight games were won, as Jesse actually provided that clinching 3rd point we're always desperate for.

The 2nd point had been won at #1 doubles, where Joel and Hans started out looking a little tentative after last night's disappointment against Fairfield. However, relying on their strengths - their teammate and their energy - they fought back against themselves and recovered their beautiful form. Their match ended on a big serve from Joel forcing a Lion error. It was good to see him swing so confidently.

And so too for the #2 doubles team. After double faulting the entire first game, Landon Weldy found his service stroke and dominated. Parth looked like the old doubles pro that he now is, finding angles, crosscourt rally strokes and putting away overheads. They played as a well-polished team tonight, which was fun to watch.

Sol struggled, again against a #3 singles player who has better strokes than most of his teammates. We finally cracked the code of how to trouble the junior Krent Hueni late in the game, but it was too late. He had outstroked Sol's power for most of the match, and won the Lion's only point.

At JV, no other points were given away. Byeong Min Lim sealed up an undefeated JV season, and Ethan Lapp picked up his 15th win of the season, extending his own record. Ryan Duckworth competed with senior Justin Zehr, and they had their times of awesomeness - like when Justin hit a ball around the net post and back crosscourt for the winner, or when Ryan poached and pounded down several overheads. These moments gave us the excitement we were looking for.

But really, tonight was celebrating the seniors in their last home match. So much of life is about finding out what light, what gift God has given to us and being that light to world. Last night on the tennis courts, our seniors played to the strengths they've been given. My prayer, my blessing, is that they always will.

Varsity

#1S - Abe Thorne - 6-1, 6-0 - Tommy Foster (10)

#2S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-1, 6-0 - Bryce DeVine (10)

#3S - Sol Brenneman - 3-6, 3-6 - Krent Hueni (11)

#1D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 6-2, 6-1 - Tyler LaFlash (12)/Austin Ingle (11)

#2D - Parth Patel/Landon Weldy - 6-2, 6-3 - Ryker Hand (10)/Chandler Snyder (9)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Byeong Min Lim - 8-1 - Evan Reed (9)

#2SJV - Ethan Lapp - 8-0 - Hudson Thornton (9)

#1DJV - Justin Zehr/Ryan Duckworth - 8-3 - Noah Miller (10)/Josh Ukinski (10)

#15 - Always Focus

Our team cheer is pretty simple:

Always focus. Always battle.

But like many rituals, they don't become meaningful unless you live it. Tonight, against Bremen, we didn't live the cheer. Tonight, we couldn't focus on a cold, blustery night. Tonight, we couldn't battle against the the wind. Tonight, we couldn't focus after a heartbreaker to Fairfield. Tonight, we couldn't battle against ourselves.

In many ways, this is disappointing. But only if it's the end of the story. Perhaps tonight was just about the knowledge that we must always focus and always battle, with no excuses or other copouts.

Notes & Stats
- Nathan Brendle came away with another impressive scoreline in this match. He's continued to dominate opponents, and got another "6-0" set. His focused play (at #1S nonetheless!) should be a great example and motivation for his teammates.

- Ike made a switch to #3 singles today, and Abe went up to #2 singles. The switch wasn't all that successful tonight, with neither player able to secure victory. Ike pushed it to 3 sets, but couldn't find quite the finishing shots.

- The JV won another match, giving them 5 wins in their last 6 matches. They are now at 6-8 on the season.

- Sol Brenneman continues to lead the way with JV wins, but Tristan Clark played a really great, mentally strong match tonight. After leading 5-0, he saw his opponent come back and make the match close, within one game. But Tristan fought through to the end, keeping his cool and claiming the victory.

- Wade Troyer has continued to inch his way to the top of the all-time JV wins list. He now has 26 JV wins in his career. Matt Amstutz holds the career record with 30. Unfortunately for Wade, he'll end with 26 because this was our last official JV match.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Nathan Brendle - 6-0, 6-3 - Brad Foster (12)
#2S - Abe Thorne - 2-6, 4-6 - Jalen Bayer (12)
#3S - Ike Lehman - 2-6, 7-6 (5), 3-6 - Wes Burkholder (12)
#1D - Himal King/Parth Patel - 1-6, 2-6 - Nate Strehler (12)/Bryce DeVine (9)
#2D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 1-6, 3-6 - Krent Hueni (11)/Tommy Foster (10)

JV
#1SJV - Sol Brenneman - 8-2 - Tyler LaFlash (11)
#2SJV - Tristan Clark - 8-6 - ???
#3SJV - Justin Zehr - 6-8 - Tyler LaFlash (11)
#1DJV - Wade Troyer/Landon Weldy - 8-2 - ???
#2DJV - Neel Bhagat/Ethan Lapp - 4-8 - ???

Wednesday Opponent Overview

All Time Record vs. Bremen: 6-8

Classic Matches:

Bethany Christian 3, Bremen 2, 2005
In a match typical of the 2005 season, we won three positions with relative ease. But we dropped the other two in the same way. A team can be built on strength and do well, but it needs depth to truly be successful in trophies!

Bethany Christian 4, Bremen 1; 2006
A surprising result, as Bremen brought back more players than we did. We pulled out tight matches at #1 singles and #3 singles, only losing a very tight match at #2. This match was also one of the coldest I've ever coached at, where spectators and players not on the court were drinking hot chocolate to keep warm!

Top Players over the Years: Josh Kiefer, Josh Hueni, Jarryd Anglin, Marcus Manges, Brad Harrington, Joe Rallo, Blaine Maxson, Kyle Hudson, Thomas Manges, Mitch Cook

Last Season Result: Bethany Christian 3, Bremen 0

Returning Varsity Players:
#3S - Briley Bollenbacher (lost to Russell Klassen, 0-6, 4-6)
#1D - Mitch Cook/Thomas Manges (lost to Kyle Miller/Austin Loucks, 6-4, 1-6, 2-6)
#2D - Ty Holmes/Alex Overholser (tied Misha Rebec/Nick Rebec, 4-6, 6-7)

Top Returning JV Players:
Alex Fitch - lost to Claude Stickler, 2-8
Joey Zeltwanger - losing to Matt Ebersole, 1-7
Austin Huff
Brad Foster/Nate Strehler

Outlook:
Bremen brings back 5 of their players from last year, as do we. Assuming that they leave their doubles the same, that will be their strength. We will have our strength in singles, behind Seth and Ben. I assume that we will win the top 2 singles match-ups when we play the Lions, but beyond that, nothing is guaranteed. We return a couple of doubles players, but will have to play well to overtake these experienced teams. Most likely, both teams will have new players playing #3 singles, and it is possible that the result will come down to that match. Hopefully, we'll improve enough that it won't have to come down to just one spot.

Bethany Christian vs. Bremen

After three straight losses, a couple that were really heartbreaking, it was good to win a match tonight. It was good to win a match on senior night. But unfortunately, it was the seniors who didn't get to finish their beautiful matches before the rains opened up on us.

Seth Krabill pulled off his first victory at #1S tonight. But for Seth, it happened to come against a #1S JV player. Bremen's normal #1 player hurt himself this week, and so the Lions did a straight sub, which is allowed in injury situations. So Justin Bogart found himself moving up a full 7 positions. Of course, Seth made an even more drastic move, from #2S JV to #1S, but that happened during the off-season. The match itself wasn't much to report. It was what you would expect from a #1 varsity player against a #1 JV player. Seth had some great attacking points, especially when he was able to get to the net.

Ben Mast played the Lions normal #2, Jaxson Burkins, who has a really sweet first name. Ben was able to continue a proud Bruin position (set last year by Jared Schwartzentruber) of dominating #2 singles. Don't know if many people realize this, but in the last 37 matches that Bethany tennis has played, we've lost a total of 3 #2 singles matches. Between Jared, Jonny, Seth and now Ben, we're doing pretty well at #2. Ben played confidently and aggressively, working on his net game as well. He only faired one game worse than Seth, winning 6-1, 6-0.

At #3 singles, Russell Klassen looked like he was going to join the trend of easy singles matches. Controlling the points, he took a lead built on the errors of sophomore opponent Briley Bollenbacher. In the first set, he didn't lose a game. Then he immediately lost the first game of the second set. And the second set didn't go very well. Russell looked like he was losing energy in every game. His shots fell shorter, his feet stopped moving and he looked like he was just pushing the ball. After a little pep talk, Russell picked it up at the end, despite trailing 4-3. As the sprinkles started to fall down, Russell clinched the varsity match with the third point, stroking confidently to a victory.

#1 doubles was again a match of the slow start. Austin and Kyle looked as nervous as I've ever seen them in dropping the first 3 games of the first set. They were able to pull back into the set, but never really looked convincing. Volleys were pushed, shots were just wide, and their rhythm was never developed. Until the second set, that is. In the second set, everything started to come together. They put balls away at the net, hit deep returns and won the net battles. From the start of the second set on, they won 11 of 14 games. In the third set, they held a 5-2 advantage and were one point into the game when the clouds opened up. We couldn't risk injury, especially with the team match over, and so the match was called.

They same thing happened for #2 doubles. Nick and Misha Rebec enjoyed senior night on the same court. They didn't seem to have one single thing working for them every time, but they were competing. In the first set, down 3-2, I emphasized the importance of winning the next two games, to see how the Lions would respond to being down in the match. They did, and the two game swing led to the Bruins taking the first set. In the second, the match stayed tight, always within one game but always with the Lions leading. After tying the match at 6-6, Nick and Misha lost the tiebreaker. With sets split and ready to resume, the rain cut off the #2 doubles match as well.

So for the varsity, we won 3-0. It was good to see confident performances all around tonight. I really think we're starting to gel with our new identity as a team this year, hopefully getting better at playing under pressure. I sure think we'll need that aggressive in the face of pressure attitude come Sectional time.

Only one JV match was finished, and that was Claude Stickler dismantling Lion #1 JV player Alex Fitch (who normally plays #2, and looked real confused when announced as #1). Claude's passing shots were the story of the match, as he controlled them with pinpoint precision, if not always with power. Matt Ebersole was one point away from Bethany's second victory, leading 7-1, 40-15 when play was suspended. It's too bad it rained, we would have picked up another satisfying JV win.


Varsity: I don't know if it's exactly a beautiful point, but I loved the way that Russell closed out the last 3 games of his match. First of all, he found energy. He looked like he was excited to play, despite telling me at the changeover that he was drained. But he didn't look that way on the court. He looked ready and in control. Sometimes I think we underestimate the mental edge it gives us to look up and energized, powerful and confident. Russell combined this with well struck forehands to be a commanding presence in finishing out his match.

Junior Varsity: The aggressiveness of placement is often overlooked. We often try to be aggressive by attacking the net, or hitting the ball hard. Sometimes, it's an aggressive and winning move to place the ball well. Claude showed this in his match. While his opponent Alex Fitch tried to attack the net, Claude would line the ball up down-the-line and slice it right past his onrushing opponent. No pace, no power, just perfect placement a step inside the line. It was a smaggressive play, a winner with little chance of error. Beautiful!

Scores

Varsity
#1S - Seth Krabill - 6-0, 6-0 - Justin Bogart (12)
#2S - Ben Mast - 6-1, 6-0 - Jaxson Burkins (12)
#3S - Russell Klassen - 6-0, 6-4 - Briley Bollenbacher (10)
#1D - Austin Loucks/Kyle Miller - 4-6, 6-1, 5-2 (Rain Out) - Mitch Cook (12)/Thomas Manges (11)
#2D - Nick Rebec/Misha Rebec - 6-4, 6-7 (5), (Rain Out) - Ty Holmes (11)/Alex Overholser (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Claude Stickler - 8-2 - Alex Fitch (11)
#2SJV - Matt Ebersole - 7-1 (Rain Out) - Joey Zeltwanger (9)
#1DJV - Jake Gerig/Blake Shetler - 1-1 (Rain Out) - Ben Sime (12)/Austin Huff (10)
#2DJV - Evan Grimes/Ryan Minter - 1-0 (Rain Out) - Brad Foster (9)/Nate Strehler (9)

Bremen Preview

Details: September 22, 2009 at 4:30 PM. To be played at Bethany Christian High School. It is also senior night, with the senior ceremony beginning right before the match.

Last Season Review: We defeated Bremen 5-0 last year behind the extreme strength of the team. Many of the same players are back from that Bremen squad, with 4 returning varsity players. We also won the JV match, 7-2, with some strong performances over those Lions who are joining the varsity this year.

Bremen Details: Bremen enters this match with a decent record, although they have suffered setbacks against many of the team's that we have played this season. They have lost 3-2 to Jimtown, 5-0 to Fairfield, and 4-1 to Triton. As noted in the last season review, they bring back four from the 2008 varsity, including a doubles team that moved from #2 doubles to #1 doubles.

Bethany Christian Details: We come into this match as losers of three straight matches against good competition and with a lot of questions. We've had a stellar season, and need to get over the hump in big situations. Tonight we look to take strides in that direction.

Projected Matchups:
#1S - Seth Krabill (BC) vs. Taylor Fanning (B)
#2S - Ben Mast (BC) vs. Jaxson Burkins (B)
#3S - Russell Klassen (BC) vs. Briley Bollenbacher (B)
#1D - Austin Loucks/Kyle Miller (BC) vs. Mitch Cook/Thomas Manges (B)
#2D - Nick Rebec/Misha Rebec (BC) vs. Ty Holmes/Alex Overholser (B)

Outlook: I hope to win. This is another matchup that we need to come out relaxed and ready to play. We match up well with the Lions at every position, meaning that we can have some close but winnable matches. I'd be surprised if we won every position, but not utterly flabbergasted. It is possible. What I really want to see is for us to play well. To be excited about the situations we find ourselves in.

Bremen Match Report

Well, one record I'm sure this team is going to set is the most 5-0 victories for a season. This victory brings us up to 9, not counting the JV's 5-0 win over Laville's varsity!

Oh, and just a little sidenote, the JV kept alive their chance to go undefeated on the season. They have pretty much clinched that they will have the best JV record ever, the question is will they have any losses? It's a good pressure for them to deal with, as most of them will have to deal with varsity pressure next year.

In the varsity match, Luke Hostetter took control early in his match by serving and volleying throughout the first game. With patented drop shots and well placed overheads, it looked that sophomore Taylor Fanning was in over his head in this match. Luke breezed through the first set in only 14 minutes, and continued his aggressive play in the second set. He was rewarded with a 6-0, 6-0 victory.

Two singles followed much the same pattern. Jared Schwartzentruber's opponent, Taylor Oberly, was a senior and much more consistent and persistent than the sophomore number one. Many times throughout the match I found myself admiring Oberly's hustle and effort as he chased down ball after ball. However, Jared's quality was simply overwhelming. Jared is tough for anyone to beat when he is slinging the forehand down the line the pounding a backhand crosscourt, then sending you back to the other side of the court with the next stroke. He was able to easily close out his match as well.

Jonny Shenk dominated his match with thundering overheads. I don't know if I've ever seen Jonny hit so many in one match. Again, Jonny controlled the match with his groundstrokes, even though they took a bit of adjusting because his opponent, Lion sophomore Alex Overholser, hit such strange backspinning shots. Jonny took a few games in the first set to figure it out, then rolled through the rest of the match.

One doubles was an interesting match. Bremen definitely seemed to have the strength of their team located in the doubles. Several of the players had big serves, including one of the one doubles team. Jeremy and Johnny were also trying some new formations on their serve, which led to several errors (including the first one they tried where Johnny got hit in the back of the head) but also several really successful shots (like the next one that Johnny smashed as they hit the return right to him). The outcome of the match rarely seemed in doubt though the second set score stayed close. Johnny and Jeremy pulled ahead at the end and Jeremy finished it off with a nice, crisp forehand volley.

Daniel and Mikey seemed a bit out of it tonight, but they seemed due for a letdown after an impressive weekend performance. In this match, it was obvious that they were the more talented team, but weak returns and some tired play plagued their scoring. Despite this however they were able to serve relatively well, and attacked at just the right times to seal the victory for themselves. Although they may not have played the best match ever, I'm sure it will cheer them up to hear that our number two doubles record is now 15-1 on the season.

The JV match ended with another convincing victory for the Bruins. Each of the singles positions and the top doubles position were taken handily. Ben Mast rolled through another opponent, as did Seth Krabill, as did Matthew Amstutz. I am seriously wondering if they are some of the best JV players in Northern Indiana. I guess we will see on Friday when we play Penn, another one of the top programs in the northern part of the state. Russell Klassen and Kyle Miller continued their number one doubles magic, winning 8-2. Russell has really been finding himself to be a good doubles player, and Kyle has continued to improve his strengths of forehand and serve throughout the season. Austin Loucks and Claude Stickler had a great match at number three doubles as well, making up for letting a lead slide away late in the match yesterday. Blake Shetler and Matt Ebersole were able to grab a singles wins for the Bruins as well. The only losses came at number two doubles and number four doubles, as Misha Rebec and Nick Rebec and Jake Gerig and Evan Grime all fell to the same Lion doubles pairing.


Varsity: Congratulations to Johnny Kauffman and Jeremy Thomas. The moment of beauty was watching the I-formation work to perfection the second time they tried it. The first time Johnny had been hit in the head, and I was afraid they would shy away from using it again. But the second time, Johnny knelt in the middle and the return came right to him as he popped up. He drilled the shot between the Lion players for a game winner. Sweeeet!

JV:Austin Loucks gets a beautiful mention here for his match ending serve. He struggled to end the match Monday night against Fairfield when it was on his serve, double faulting several times. Not tonight. Against Bremen he struck a lightning bolt of a serve, right into the backhand corner, right on the line. His opponent got to it, but had no chance of returning it, barely framing it into the fence. A solid service winner.

Scores

Varsity
Luke Hostetter - 6-0, 6-0 - Taylor Fanning (10)
Jared Schwartzentruber - 6-1, 6-1 - Taylor Oberly (12)
Jonny Shenk - 6-2, 6-0 - Alex Overholser (10)
Johnny Kauffman/Jeremy Thomas - 6-1, 6-3 - Kevin Ingle (12)/Ben Fanning (12)
Daniel Buschert/Mikey Kelly - 6-3, 6-4 - Mitch Cook (11)/Thomas Manges (10)

JV
Ben Mast - 8-1 - Briley Bollenbacher (9)
Seth Krabill - 8-1 - Justin Bogart (11)
Matthew Amstutz - 8-0 - Brandon Cope (10)
Blake Shetler - 8-4 - Harley Sult (10)
Matt Ebersole - 8-1 - Brandon Sporner (9)
Russell Klassen/Kyle Miller - 8-2 - Jaxson Burkins (11)/Ty Holmes (10)
Misha Rebec/Nick Rebec - 2-8 - Ben Sime (11)/Austin Huff (9)
Austin Loucks/Claude Stickler - 8-2 - Hayden Hollenbaugh (11)/Alex Fitch (10)
Jake Gerig/Evan Grimes - 3-8 - Ben Sime (11)/Austin Huff (9)

Bethany Christian vs. Bremen {Match Report}

Click here for photos from this match.

The varsity bounced back well from last night's defeat and the JV continued its recent run of good play in a pair of Bruin victories against Bremen. The varsity was able to secure a 4-1 win while the JV won 7-3.

The varsity secured the win with the first three matches off the court. Jonny Shenk raised his #3 singles record to 13-3 win a 6-1, 6-0 dismantling of Bremen senior Jacob Hundt. Jonny was able to force errors from Hundt, but again was able to get to the net and put away some ferocious overhead slams. This new vein of attacking play in the past two matches has allowed Jonny to take his opponents to a whole new level of frustration.

The second match to finish was #1 doubles, where Johnny and Jeremy overcame a poor, tired-looking start to get back to their aggressive, slamming-the-ball-over-the-fence selves. It was good to watch these two enjoy doubles again after a tight, nervous match against Fairfield. Things began to flow as they covered the net brilliantly and pounded their way to a 6-3, 6-1 win, impressively winning 10 of the last 11 games.

The decisive match was at #2 singles, where Jared Schwartzentruber again played one of his best matches of the season. He controlled play in both the first and the second sets with smaggressive shots (that's our special word for smart and aggressive) and then taking the net. His approach shots often forced weak passing shots from his opponent, Bremen senior Troy Huff. Jared was able to put many of these away to win this match. Most impressive was that both sets were won with games that lasted at least 15 minutes each, going to multiple deuces. These are the type of games we must win to bring home trophies, and Jared won them.

With the team match won, attention turned to two three set matches at #1 singles and #2 doubles. At #2 doubles, Mikey and Daniel had overcome a poor first set to win the second set in dominating form, 6-1. The third set saw Bremen step up their game and Mikey and Daniel felt that pressure. Again frustration and fear drove this doubles team instead of enjoyment and opportunity. They fell 6-2 in the final set, the first and only varsity defeat in this match against Bremen.

This left Luke on the courts to finish his three setter against senior Joe Rallo. Last year Luke played his best match of the season against Rallo, and it had been enough to best him 6-4, 7-6. This night, Luke had dropped the first set to this talented senior 3-6. In the second set, Luke began to turn things around, again by attacking the net and forcing Rallo to make shots. Joe certainly turned his game up a bit, and made some superb passing shots to foil some of Luke's attack. But Rallo also began to make mistakes, which he had made few of during the first set. Luke was able to win the second set 6-4, to set up a decisive final set. In a back and forth battle, Luke took a 5-4 lead in the third set after a single game lasted near 20 minutes. Then suddenly it came easily, as Luke won the final game at love to win the match.

So it was a great turnaround by the varsity, and the JV followed with great play from the singles positions again, and a win at doubles. Ben Mast, Kyle Miller, and Russell Klassen, Austin Loucks all worked their way to singles victories, while Matt Amstutz/Seth Krabill, Nick Rebec/Claude Stickler, and Jake Gerig/Weston Troyer took care of their doubles. Particularly impressive was #1 singles and #1 doubles, who both won easily and showed their growing aggressive tendencies. That attacking spirit is beautiful indeed.

Scores
------------------------------
Bethany --- Score --- Bremen

#1S - Luke Hostetter (11) --- 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 --- Joe Rallo (12)
#2S - Jared Schwartzentruber (11) --- 6-4, 6-4 --- Troy Huff (12)
#3S - Jonny Shenk (11) --- 6-1, 6-0 --- Jacob Hundt (12)
#1D - Johnny Kauffman (11)/Jeremy Thomas (11) --- 6-3, 6-1 --- Ben Fanning (11)/Mitch Cook (10)
#2D - Daniel Buschert (11)/Mikey Kelly (10) --- 4-6, 6-1, 2-6 --- Dan Shramm (12)/Kevin Ingle (11)

JV
#1S - Ben Mast (9) --- 8-0 --- Thomas Manges (9)
#2S - Kyle Miller (9) --- 7-6 --- Justin Bogart (10)
#3S - Russell Klassen (9) --- 6-1 --- Jaxson Burkins (10)
#4S - Austin Loucks (10) --- 6-3 --- Alex Overholser (9)
#5S - Justin Gregor (11) --- 2-5 --- Jaxson Burkins (10)
#6S - Harrison Beachey (10) --- 0-6 --- Thomas Manges (9)
#1D - Matt Amstutz (11)/Seth Krabill (9) --- 8-2 --- Taylor Oberly (11)/Tom Zeltwanger (11)
#2D - Will Troyer (11)/Misha Rebec (10) --- 4-6 --- Ty Holmes (9)/ Taylor Fanning (9)
#3D - Nick Rebec (10)/Claude Stickler (10) --- 6-4 --- Ben Sime (10)/Hayden Hollenbaugh (10)
#4D - Weston Troyer (12)/Jake Gerig (10) --- 6-3 --- Alex Fitch (9)/Harley Sult (9)