Concord Match Report - 2019

Scores

V: Bethany Christian 3, Concord 2
JV: Bethany Christian JV 5, Concord JV 3

Photos
Click here for photos from the match.

Varsity Recap
This was such a fantastically exciting match. From the first ball struck I was nervy, I could tell that we had a chance to grab a close win if we could keep ourselves focused and loose, if we could play with joy and aggression. In the end, that's what we were able to do.

We started out the match competing well at every position, but only Braden grabbed an early lead. Actually, of all the positions tonight, it was Braden who seemed to stay in control for the longest stretches of his match. His steady strokes and limited errors left little place for his Concord opponent to attack. And Braden was hitting his good strokes with so much depth, it was amazing to watch as he whittled away point after point.

At the other positions, we had early success as well, sticking close in the matches but always just a game behind. Caleb and Josh stuck with their games early, but were being pushed by opponents with big shots that were running them all over the court. Caleb and Josh both came up with big shots and Caleb served particularly well, but couldn't quite get over the finish line in these games.

At the doubles, both positions were in tight first sets. At #2D, Tyson and Will went back and forth with their opponents, trading the lead based on who was playing aggressively. At #1D, Nathan and Joseph were the aggressors, but nerves and big shots from Concord were keeping things even. Tyson and Will held a 4-3 lead in their first set before watching the Minutemen pull out three close games in a row to take the set. Joseph and Nathan got pushed to a tiebreak, but played beautifully in that closer. It was a close one, no team ever getting more than one point ahead until Nathan and Joseph won the tiebreak 9-7.

Back at singles, Caleb and Josh struggled in their second sets. The effort and attitude stayed high, but they just couldn't keep finding answers to the well placed shots of their opponents. Caleb's opponent especially looked like he was placing the ball right where he wanted, constantly running Caleb and making him hit difficult passing shots. Caleb and Josh ended up losing in 2 sets, putting us down 0-2 in the team match.

But things started to turn quickly. Nathan and Joseph played an aggressive second set, continually coming to the net. With a couple of big shots and quick reflexes, they got us on the board.

Meanwhile, Braden took a 4-1 lead in his second set before getting a bit nervous and pushing the ball. His opponent took advantage of this and began coming to the net, making Braden hit passing shots. After missing a few, Braden honed in again and finished off his 2 set victory. This moved the overall varsity score to 2-2.

Which meant it all came down to #2D, to Will and Tyson. They had gone down early 2-0 in the second set after losing the first, and then they had an attitude switch. As Will hit volleys, he began to get more positive, thinking (and sometimes saying) "Let's go baby!" This positive energy turned the match on its head. He and Tyson reeled off several games in a row to take the second set, and force it into the deciding set.

Tyson and Will carried that momentum into the first game of the third, then lost the next 2 to go down 2-1. At that point, I really emphasized that their feet would be the thing that would decide the match. Getting into position and hitting "yellow" balls, those two things would decide who would win. And the end of Will and Tyson's match wasn't perfect, but they did do those things better than Concord. Will and Tyson used their strengths, groundstrokes and lobs and well played serves.

In the final game, Will and Tyson had two match points denied, where they hit forehands into the net. But on their third attempt to take the match, they sailed a lob over their opponents head which led to a weak backhand try that fell in the net. The Bruins' fans exploded in cheers, as the varsity got a dramatic 3-2 win.

Junior Varsity Recap
Again, with Concord having ten courts, I didn't get to see as any of the JV matches as I'd like. This was especially true of the singles matches, which were on the lower courts. To be honest, I'm really looking forward to Thursday's home match where I'll be able to watch because it's at home and we only have five courts!

But what energy from the JV tonight, and continued solid play. I did get to see the #1DJV, Theo and Austin were positioned right next to the varsity doubles. Their first game was awful :-) I was prepared to go talk to them about being more aggressive, even though they were maybe a bit nervous. They switched over before I could talk to them, but they already knew the message. They flew through their next 8 games with beautiful points and shots.

It was the singles that we really dominated in, winning 4 of the 6 singles matches. Cameron, Matthew, Xudong, and Jim all got singles wins. For Cameron, Xudong and Jim, these were their first singles victories of the season.

And tonight, one thing I loved was the JV energy. They were excited to play tennis. They were excited to watch tennis. They were excited to update the Instagram account (thanks Josiah!) Sometimes home matches can be distracting. We all clump together with teammates, parents, girlfriends, wanna be girlfriends :-), and more... and we don't come together with energy to support the team. At the road matches, there's nothing else to do but to watch the remaining matches. And I appreciate that our guys stay focused on that, stay off their phones, and cheer the team on. It's awesome!

You are accepted.
Before this match even began, God accepted you. God accepted that sometimes you get nervous, distracted, and tired. God accepted that you are supportive, joyful and boisterous. God accepted that you are talented, doubt-filled and capable. God accepts you, and invites you into God's love with all that you are. I am confident in your acceptance, that has nothing to do with this match's outcome!


You are sustained.
Today, we are sustained by these moments of joy...

1. Xudong's joy.
Xudong has been asking for a chance to play singles. Tonight, he got that chance. Though I had him scheduled for doubles, Concord asked for another singles player and we sent Xudong out. He got a big win, his second of the year, but his first in a singles match. When he came back to where the team was gathered rooting on Will and Tyson, he was all energy and smiles. I loved seeing him so excited for his win!

2. Nathan's forehands and reaction volleys.
In the second set, Nathan got into "Big Boi Mode." On one forehand, he shuffled to the side and ripped such an angled winner to his opponent's backhand side that his opponent couldn't even move and the ball spun down and into the fence. In the clinching game, Nathan had two reflex volleys at the net that were stunning, picking up balls that were hit at him without much thought at all. Nathan also put down a confident overhead in that clinching game. He had an air of simple aggression about him, and that led him to simply dominate.

3. Will and Tyson's lobs.

There are two types of lobs. The first type is not fun. It's the type where you are pushed back on your heels by your opponent's aggression, and you throw up a lob because there's nothing else you can do. The second type is beautiful. You invite your opponent to the net and prepare for their approach shot. Then you pick your spot (down the middle solves the riddle) and lob it over their heads. Tyson and Will had lots of the second type last night. In fact, they wrapped up the victory with two in a row. It is amazing when you use your strengths with confidence.

You are significant.
How have we used our God-given gifts to serve the needs of others?

Caleb Shenk and Josh Cartwright had difficult matches tonight. They experienced that feeling of frustration we have when we've tried everything and don't know what else to do. They could have slumped their shoulders and spent the rest of the night feeling sorry for themselves. But instead, Josh started called encouragement to the doubles teams during his disappointing second set. Caleb came off and talked strategy and footwork with me, intently watching and cheering for the #2 doubles match that was still going on after he ended. It was really inspiring to see them finding ways to join in and serve, rather than to shrink and sulk.

You have achieved.

We were confident in our beginnings. That is an achievement.
We came back to the positive when we were nervous. That is an achievement.
We committed to moving our feet before points, listening to the coaching we've been given. That is an achievement.
We won two matches, varsity and JV. That is an achievement.
We supported each other verbally, before, during and after the match. That is an achievement.

Prayer
Lord, today was a great day. I'm really thankful for answer prayer for some of my friends. I'm very thankful for the joy that we played with tonight. I'm grateful for the singing we were able to do, as it was a very satisfying thing to lift our voices together. May we do it in praise, not of victory, but of unity and love. Thank You for offering us union with You, through the grace of your continual acceptance and love. Thanks!

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Caleb Shenk - 3-6, 0-6 - Bryson Schrock (11)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 6-3, 6-4 - Mitchell Whitehead (10)
#3S - Josh Cartwright - 2-6, 1-6 - Nathan Schraw (9)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Joseph Mounsithiraj - 7-6 (7), 6-3 - Gavin Smith (11)/Kayden Cain (11)
#2D - Will Nisley/Tyson Miller - 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 - Brayden Newburn (11)/Thomas Burkert (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Aaron Shenk - 5-8 - Samuel West (10)
#2SJV - Cameron Heinisch - 8-1 - Garrett Trout (9)
#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-4 - Gabriel Nascimente (9)
#4SJV - Xudong Sun - 6-0 - Garrett Trout (9)
#5SJV - Jim Lyu - 6-1 - Gabriel Nascimente (9)
#6SJV - Jacob Leiniger - 2-6 - Samuel West (10)
#1DJV - Theo Siemens-Rhodes/Austin Shenk - 8-1 - Ethan Kavanaugh (10)/Bailey Morrison (11)
#2DJV - Chris Craw/Kameron Branum - 2-6 - Ethan Kavanaugh (10)/Bailey Morrison (11)

Concord Match Report

More Photos: Click Here

VARSITY MATCH REPORT

Tonight was the first time this season that most of our positions on the varsity went out and confidently played with a plan. The plans were mostly simple - play to our strengths, quick with our feet, play to our opponent's weaknesses. But the manner in which we executed them was different. It felt, for the most part, like we believed in ourselves more.

Which was good, because Concord is good. Ranked #15 in the first coach's poll, the Minutemen boast 5 seniors on their varsity (with 3 more sprinkled through the JV ranks). They return 6 of their 7 players from a Regional winning team last fall. So, a good showing against this team is simply a good showing in general.

And each position showed good signs. Liam continues to play his steady game of mixing things up and bringing people to the net, testing their patience. Tonight, Concord senior Alex Serwatka was able to drive balls for winners from the baseline, something that Liam had not really seen yet this season from his other talented opponents. Liam's forehand continues to make strides forward in being a weapon, something we will continue to push in practice.

Caleb showed similar improvement. After a well played first set that didn't show well on the scoreboard, Caleb moved smoothly into a second set where he began to believe in his strokes even more. He hit confidently through his strokes and forced Minuteman senior Freddy Buckingham to be at his best. Caleb was able to use his forehand to attack Buckingham's backhand, and forced some errors there. Caleb also put some pressure on with varied other shots, coming to the net, and a general positive attitude. This set was closer, including Caleb fighting off a match point when down 5-4 to come back and tie the set at 5-5s.

Philip played to his strengths as well. He slammed his forehand and learned more about how to fend off pressure with his backhand. Best of all he discovered a strong passing shot that he used for more than a few "Let's go!" moments. Finding more consistency in this attacking phase remains his practice task.

Nathan and Jonah started their #1D match strong. They are really coming together behind this idea of simple shots to simple spots. However, the experienced pair of doubles players on the other side of the net really hit some fantastic shots as the match moved along. Heavy, hard topspin balls and clean finishes at the net put our #1D away in the end.

And, Braden Bohn... again having to make a last second change. Last week, he filled in at #1S as Liam got sick. Today, he moved up to #2D right before the match we decided to protect another player's injury. He and Tyson didn't have the best first set. They looked out of sync and couldn't string together points. In the second set, they began to play more to their strengths. The outcome was much closer games, including 2 that went our way.

All in all, we didn't score close enough to grab any wins or force any third sets, but the we believed in our strengths. I loved that.

JV MATCH REPORT
At the JV level, the competition was tighter. Aside from #1SJV, where Aaron Shenk ran into a varsity player from a highly successful #1D player from last year, we were in almost every match.

And I was super proud of Aaron. He never gave up the fight despite being pushed with heavy and hard shots. Even down 7-0, he believed and stroked and came to the net. That was emblematic of most the JV matches.

Playing to strengths continues to be the name of the game. Josh played to his strength of never say die tennis, Matthew played to his forehand strength, Joseph used his consistency, Theo attacked the net... and on down the line.

Some highlights were the debuts of two of our players, Jim Lyu and Jacob Leininger both getting their first match action. Both players played well also, showing smooth strokes and awareness. I loved Jim's hustle, as he ran balls down and lobbed really well.

Joseph and Theo got two matches tonight, and they showed a lot of grit. Their first match was close, and small errors cost them against the big serves and strokes of the Concord team. In their second match, they were a bit unfocused and went down early, struggling with consistency. But credit to them, they made an effort to get back in it and they did.

There were things to love in everybody's matches, which I have listed in the grateful part below. But the match that was the most fun was Matthew's match at #3SJV against a fellow freshman. These two players looked like mirror images of each other. So, naturally, the match went to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Matthew continued to swing through his forehand. He took a 4-1 lead as his opponent was forced into nervous errors because of Matthew's swings. Then Matthew missed a few, which led to his opponent taking the lead. But Matthew didn't stop swinging, even when facing match point. Down 6-5 in the tiebreak, he was able to swing a forehand into the backhand of his opponent, and tie the match up. With that momentum, he looked likely to win, but the tiebreak went back and forth until Matthew had the match point when leading 9-8. Three more confident forehands forced his opponent to hit the ball into the net, and Matthew took away a memorable victory.

I love times like this. Even in a match that we didn't win, Matthew will always have something to remember. Each night is like that. The next match, the next game, the next point - that might be your memorable moment. Be hopeful and be ready!

IT WAS ENOUGH
It was enough that we played our games confidently. Tonight was the first night that I felt like we knew who we were and what our plan was going to be. We can't always control execution of the plan, sometimes we made mistakes, and sometimes the Minutemen just hit better shots. But all together, it was enough to watch us become confident in our own plans.

YOU ARE BROTHERS

You are brothers. Matches at home are always a special time for me. Because we only have 5 courts and we have 20 guys on the team, there are typically 13-15 players not on the court, just hanging out and watching their teammates. Yes, there is some foolish behavior as we behave like high schoolers, getting too loud, or losing attention. But most of the time we are cheering, watching, or chatting with our teammates. Its interesting that we call it a home match, because it really does feel like home, with people hanging out together, goofing around, juggling, cheering, and supporting each other. You are brothers.



I AM GRATEFUL
I am grateful for...

- our confident improvement.
- our ability to make changes.
- Liam's leadership at #1S and control this year.
- Caleb's belief.
- Josiah's wonderful improvement in positioning.
- Christopher's beautiful form.
- Sam's rapidly improving groundstrokes.
- Nathan's simple down-the-middle-solves-the-riddle volleys.
- Aaron's attacking positioning.
- Tyson's intensity and never-say-die attitude.
- Jim's "Nadal-like" topspin forehands.
- Jacob's smooth forehands and backhands.
- Josh's continual quest to improve.
- Jonah's amazing service games.
- Matthew's listening and doing.
- Joseph's steadiness.
- Philip's passing shots.
- Theo's volleys and net play.
- Braden's weapons of serve and forehand.
- Austin's joy.
- for all of you guys!

A PRAYER
Lord, let us rest. Let us grow. Let us make mistakes. Let us learn from them. Let us improve. Let us make more mistakes, then forgive ourselves and show love by having faith that it can be made right. That's the beauty of Your love and redemption, you delight in moving everything towards wholeness and toward the right. Towards shalom. Thanks. Move us toward You peace!

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Liam Bradford - 2-6, 1-6 - Alex Serwatka (12)
#2S - Caleb Shenk - 1-6, 5-7 - Freddy Buckingham (12)
#3S - Philip Krabill - 3-6, 3-6 - Bryson Schrock (10)
#1D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 3-6, 0-6 - Nate Slabach (12)/Travis Hermon (11)
#2D - Braden Bohn/Tyson Miller - 0-6, 2-6 - Grant Lucchese (12)/Drew McDugle (12)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Aaron Shenk - 0-8 - Cal Whitaker (12)
#2SJV - Josh Cartwright - 4-8 - Mark Rich (12)
#3SJV - Matthew Dyck - 8-7 (8) - Thomas Burkert (9)
#1DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 6-8 - Gavin Smith (10)/Kayden Cain (10)
#2DJV - Christopher Craw/Austin Shenk - 2-8 - Jack Steele (12)/Alec Eash (11)
#3DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Theo Siemens-Rhodes - 8-5 - Cayden Rohrer (10)/Bailey Morrison (10)
#4DJV - Jacob Leininger/Sam Setiawan - 0-8 - Mitch Whitehead (9)/Brayden Newburn (10)
#5DJV - Jim Lyu/Josiah Schlabach - 6-8 - Eathan Kavanaugh (9)/Sam West (9)

Climbing Report 4: Concord

Links
Instagram Post 1 - 2
Facebook Photos

Varsity Match Report
I got the sense that on Tuesday night as our varsity entered this match, we were loose and focused. We'd had a decent practice on Monday night and were ready to go against a team who ranks among the state's top 30.

But I was so pleased at the grit the team showed in this match, the way we kept our heads up and kept working - kept believing. In #1 singles, Jacob Woolace took on Will Boyer. As a team, we've never got a win over Boyer, meaning that our 2 time All-District and all time win leader Byeong Min Lim never beat him. It was a tall challenge for Jacob, but he took a great attitude into the match. In the first game, Jacob got to see the power that Boyer packs in his shots. And soon he got to see the brilliant way that Boyer uses his whole body to create a smooth and snappy serve. But Jacob got down to business trying to figure out how he could attack, how he could move Boyer. That's an attitude that leads to improvement.

And that was the attitude across the courts, although at other positions we weren't quite as overmatched. Liam didn't play the best first set, and actually trailed 1-4 in the second. But instead of getting angry, he got focused and pulled back into the set at 3-4. Joel got down 1-4 in his first set but was able to take the set to the wire by recovering to 4-5. #2 doubles of Jonah and Nathan stumbled out of the gate to a 0-4 deficit. After losing the first set, they cruised to a 5-0 lead in the second. Then they lost 6 straight games to trail 6-5, but kept their heads and stayed aggressive. They sent the second set to a tiebreak, which they won.

In all of these matches, we faced adversity. In all these matches, we held our nerve and played through the adversity. Another great example of that came at #1 doubles. After winning the first set and holding a 5-3 advantage in the second set, Jonathon and Dustin found themselves trailing 6-2 in a second set tiebreak. With 4 set points against them (set up by a couple of flubbed volleys in the net), they could have gotten angry, sad, sullen, or pouty. Instead, they focused their energy on hitting good returns. Point after point they crawled back into the match, and when Dustin's forehand volley split the Minutemen partners for the 8th point of the tiebreak, they had won 6 straight points to take the tiebreak 8-6 and win the match.

These sorts of comebacks are exciting, and it tells me that our mental focus is in the right place. We can do it! And for that I am extremely proud.

Now, with our foot firmly planted on this lower rung, we look to climb up. The next step is the right mental and physical routine between every point. We have to return to positive energy, our "words," and our body language all the time, not just when things start going well. That will help us play at our best at all times.

Who's willing to do that? We showed some grit now I hope we're all ready to climb on up!

JV Match Report
I wasn't present for the JV match, but I heard a little report. It seems like in general we didn't play our best. I don't know why that is, we played fairly good matches last time we played, but we won't make excuses. We won't look for reasons. We'll get back to the practice court and hit a lot of balls. We won't talk about sore ankles, lack of water, difficult partners, feeling tired - or any of the myriad of things I hear when I ask how it went. Instead, we'll talk about these things...

1. We're going to start moving our feet through out the match. Not just in the points but even between them.

2. We're going to start getting to the ball at the perfect strike zone.
--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbwbpta1Bxw

3. We're going to start using our whole body together to create easy power and simple shots.
--> https://youtu.be/yQRmHsHgrRI

4. We're going to forgive ourselves for our mistakes, because even the best tennis players make them.

Climbing Up (Great Moments of the Match)
For the most part, we'll be having 5 different great moments of the match. Tonight, just 3 because it was only the varsity match that I got to see. As we go up, these moments will more and more exemplify what I hope our team will be like.

1st Rung - Stay alert. I loved a lot about our #1D match. The comeback in the tiebreak was really cool to watch, but my favorite point was in the first set. Dustin was up at the net and Jonathon was back. When Jonathon's lob fell a bit shorter than expected, Dustin scooted back toward the service line and had the ball overheaded at him. With quick hands, he flicked the ball up over the net player's head, but not out of reach. Frustrated that his overhead was retrieved, the Concord player slammed it toward Dustin again. Instead of turning backward, Dustin's alert reactions flicked the ball up and completely over the net player this time, landing between the stunned Minutemen for a winner. 

2nd Rung - Expect to win. Jacob Woolace came out for his match completely un-intimidated. The first point of the match, Jacob got a good first serve and got down and hit a great passing shot that forced Will Boyer's backhand volley to sail long. On the second point, Jacob stayed confident. After a second serve curved into Boyer's backhand, Jacob anticipated early a cross court return and moved his feet to get a forehand. Taking the ball inside-in, his hit a controlled and still powerful shot down the line for a forehand winner. These two points to start the match showed that Jacob was there to compete, not just flail around. 

3rd Rung - Stay in it. Tonight, I could sing the praises of many people who "stayed in." This means that they kept fighting even when they weren't playing well. My favorite examples however were Liam coming back in the second set. It made me so proud because he made a decision to stay with his game, and not just quit and start pounding the ball. Also, Jonah and Nathan had a 5-0 lead in the second set and then had to go to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, they faced 4 match points that could have sealed the match for Concord. Each time, they played poised and loose. The combination ended up giving them a set point, and they won an incredible tiebreak 13-11.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Jacob Woolace - 0-6, 1-6 - Will Boyer (12)
#2S - Liam Bradford - 1-6, 3-6 - Freddy Buckingham (11)
#3S - Joel Yoder - 4-6, 3-6 - Bryson Schrock (9)
#1D - Dustin Miller/Johnathon Yousey - 6-2, 7-6 (6) - Cal Whitaker (11)/Travis Hermon (10)
#2D - Nathan Oostland/Jonah Farran - 2-6, 7-6 (11), 1-6 - Jacob Shetterly (12)/Grant Lucchese (11)

Junior Varsity
#1S - Philip Krabill - 2-8 - Jack Steele (11)
#2S - Braden Bohn - 8-5 - Baily Morrison (9)
#3S - Tommy Nguyen - 5-8 - Kayden Cain (9)
#4S - Angel Torres - 2-8 - Brayden Newburn (9)
#1DJV - Braydon Harshberger/Will Nisley - 1-8 - Broc Johnson (12)/Mark Rich (11)
#2DJV - Joseph Mounsithiraj/Tyson Miller - 4-8 - Drew McDugle (11)/Kaleb Sotcher (11)
#3DJV - Aaron Shenk/Kameron Branum - 0-8 - Cayden Rohrer (9)/Gavin Smith (9)
#4DJV - Philip Krabill/Angel Torres - 6-8 - Matt Auger (12)/Alec Eash (10)

vs. Elkhart Christian
#1S - Braden Bohn - 0-6, 0-6 - Isaac Miller (11)

Big Words from Concord

"ATHIRST"

DESCRIPTION

Wow. Good tennis tonight played by both teams. I always love playing Concord because from JV to Varsity they are going to have a solid team. What a chance for us to improve. What a chance for us to show how well we're playing. What a chance to make a great win.

However, we didn't get that win tonight. We got a 4-1 loss and a 4-4 tie :-) But we did improve. And we did show how well we can play at many positions. At #1D, Simon and Brandon picked up another win. This time they were challenged by an excellent team of brothers, who came up with big shots. Nathan Hermon especially had the ability to change the point quickly with one shot. But so did Simon and Brandon. Both players did an excellent job of volleying today, closing the net and making life difficult on returns and cross court battles. Every day, Brandon and Simon look more and more like a confident doubles team.

But I was also ridiculously impressed by Lucas and Daniel. We've been talking singles strategy, and it was obvious that both of these guys are taking it to heart. Both started out with slow first sets, where they couldn't seem to locate their shots in the court. But as the second sets began, there was no give up in them. Both found ways to make the match more difficult for their opponent. Changing up styles, being aggressive from the middle of the court, attacking the backhand, using their "swords." In the end, we simply need to work on being more consistent in those attacking elements. But we're on our way.

At #2D, a very evenly matched competition came down to who was hitting their shots well at the end of the set. Concord tonight seemed to really have the answers when the set was on the line. Lane and Dustin didn't give the match away with silly errors, but Concord was able to swing through and force difficult shots that we weren't quite able to fight off.

And at #1S, Will Boyer played fantastic. He hits such a heavy topspin ball with such consistency, and seemed to have the big shots at the big moments of the match. Byeong also dealt with times of inconsistency in this match, maybe because he became impatient to finish points and get back into a lead. I really have admired the consistency that I've seen from Boyer the last two times I've seen him play, and the resiliency he has after losing points. It was a well played match that was fun to watch.

For the JV, we actually won the top 4 positions. We swept the singles, with highlights being Jackson King's best match of the season and Jacob Woolace pulling out a dominating tiebreak. Jackson seemed to be very honed in tonight, with strokes putting pressure on his Minuteman opponent. That pressure is such an important part of forcing errors. Which is what Jacob Woolace found out as well, as his consistency ebbed and flowed throughout the match. When he put consistent pressure on with his regular strokes, he was able to succeed in the matches final moments.

Other wins came from Liam Bradford, who plays some of the most beautiful shots on our team at some of the most unexpected times. From dropshots to forehand winners to lobs, Liam has all the tools to be an excellent singles player. And Caleb Shenk and Jonathon Yousey made a sweet comeback, down 2-4 to winning 6-4. The key was hitting solid, simple shots and coming to the net to put pressure on their opponents. That was a great match to watch.

All of the other matches had highlights too. Jonah served well, Nathan volleyed well, Braydon's forehand looked great, Chris attacked his groundstrokes, and Joel Yoder opened his match with a forehand winner down the line. We just need to find consistency, we need to bring our games to more completion, which leads me to a...

REFLECTION

We have played four matches, and we have played four good teams. Tonight, against Concord, we probably played the most balanced and talented team of the season. And so the result, losing 4-1 on the varsity and tying 4-4 for the JV, isn't that bad.

Even better news is that I've been asking each of you to concentrate NOT on the score, but instead on HOW YOU ARE PLAYING. I've been wanting you to think about hitting the right shots, moving your feet, staying smart and aggressive in big points. And tonight, I saw evidence of that, especially across the varsity positions! Daniel was mixing things up, staying in points, driving the ball, finding ways to attack. Lucas played a beautiful match, driving things deep and setting himself up for beautiful winners. I saw Liam set up beautiful points, Jacob make adjustments, Caleb keep his confidence, Jackson play with solidity... there was a lot of good in the match!

Still, if you are like me, my eye can be drawn to the things that still need to be improved. Call it the coach's eye (or the parent's eye :-) but I can see that we still haven't reached our potential. And I am athirst for that moment. I am athirst to see the completion of this team, because I think it will be so much fun. And when we are playing extremely talented teams like the Minutemen, I am disappointed when we don't get to come at them with our best. I long to see us be consistently great, and put an even better challenge into this match. 

Instead, I need to remind myself - and remind you - that we are on our way. It is good if you are feeling athirst, longing and fervent for that better play, that consistency, that final ball to find its mark. Its good because that desire is what should push you on to strive. To strive to improve. To strive to move quicker. To strive to listen, understand, and implement. To strive to have courage against what now scares you. 

Also, I need to remind myself of the improvement we've already seen. Last Tuesday, against Northridge I wrote about ataxia, things felt totally out of joint and out of place. That's not the case now, as serves, swings and strategies have come into focus and look good at times. So, we have come in sync. We have direction. Now, we want to move toward completion.

What a good picture this is of the life we live with faith in Jesus too. There are times when we are completely out of sync, disjointed, and far away. In these times, I have found that God often uses something to shake me up and remind me of Jesus' loving presence and the Holy Spirit's call on my life. In being reminded, I feel put back together, and I see flashes of God's work in me. I feel flashes of God's peace. But I don't feel the wholeness, the completion, that Christ is moving me toward.

If I am impatient for that completion, if all I am athirst for is perfection, then my next stage is frustration. I fail to notice all the good work that Jesus is doing in me and only notice what is lacking. The progress isn't fast enough for me. I still experience failures, sins, and selfishness. I lose hope and fall back to ataxia, completely out of rhythm.

However, if I am athirst for relationship with Jesus, then I am renewed with strength. Instead of focusing on the failures, I see the improvements. Instead of being impatient, I recognize the process. I see the steps that I'm taking, the blessing that God is providing, and the people that are supporting me.

In the book of John, Jesus constantly refers to himself as living water. I think that water is what we need now. If we are feeling thirsty, we need to pursue Jesus. God will open our eyes to the beauty that is around us and fill us with strength to strive on toward completion. God will show us the relationships around us that will fill us with strength to strive on toward completion. God will. 

And so, when I'm thirsty, I want to remember what I'm really thirsty for... not perfection but instead RELATIONSHIP, and two simple little words become my prayer for fulfillment this week: God will.

SCORES
Varsity
#1S - Byeong Min Lim - 1-6, 1-6 - Will Boyer (11)
#2S - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes - 1-6, 2-6 - Alex Serwatka (10)
#3S - Daniel Robles - 1-6, 3-6 - Nate Slabach (10)
#1D - Simon Hurst/Brandon Nguyen - 7-5, 6-3 - Nathan Herman (12)/Travis Herman (9)
#2D - Dustin Miller/Lane Miller - 4-6, 5-7 - Jake Lovette (12)/Freddy Buckingham (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jackson King - 6-1
#2SJV - Liam Bradford - 6-4
#3SJV - Jacob Woolace - 7-6 (1)
#1DJV - Jonathon Yousey/Caleb Shenk - 6-4
#2DJV - Tommy Nguyen/Philip Krabill - 1-6
#3DJV - Joel Yoder/Braydon Harshberger - 1-6
#4DJV - Jonah Farran/Nathan Oostland - 2-6
#5DJV - Angel Torres/Chris Craw - 1-6

Prayers from Concord

Match Description
This was the closest 5-0 match that I've ever been a part of. And after last year's Goshen match, that is saying a lot! Tonight we were up against a really good and really experienced team, that is currently ranked 8th in our district. To give perspective, our team last year ended the season ranked 8th. So, tonight was a great fight for us.

I'm really proud of the way we responded, but it is also disappointing to not win any of the positions. The night started off with some very tentative tennis from the Bruins. We didn't really seem to have the confidence we needed at any of the positions. Maybe this is because we were playing a road match, because this is the second time we've come out to play with very low energy and belief and the other was on the road at Northridge.

As a result, we got knocked around pretty good in our first sets (with the exception of Byeong). Ethan lost 0-6, Jacob lost 2-6, and the doubles lost 3-6 and 4-6. It looked like it could be a long night, and yet... we weren't really playing good tennis.

In the second sets, we began to turn that around. Ethan looked much less timid and forced more errors from his opponent. Simon and Brandon picked up their attacking intensity while bringing their balls down. Lane and Jackson were simple and aggressive. With the new found confidence, our play began to match our belief. The 2nd sets were great exhibitions of how we want to play (with the exception of Byeong, who became a little tentative).

This meant that 4 of the 5 matches were going to enter high pressure 3rd sets. And just like high pressure third sets do, both teams felt the importance. The matches swung back and forth as momentum changed, frustrations mounted, belief grew and then waned. We fell behind at each position early in the sets, and it looked like a 5-0 defeat was likely. Then we surged back, taking the lead in each of the sets (with the exception of Byeong, though he did surge back to 4-5). In fact, we suddenly found ourselves leading at 3 positions, enough to win the match. Simon and Brandon held a 6-5 advantage going into Simon's serve. Ethan held a 5-4 advantage, going into his serve. Lane and Brandon were up 5-4, but big serving Braden Fish was going to be serving for Concord. One more game in three positions, and we would pull a big upset!

But each position felt the pressure in a different way. We fell back to our tentative ways, forgetting about how we want to play and fixating a bit on the score. Taking advantage, our opponents hit great, aggressive shots. One position by one, we found ourselves tight in the crucial points - knocking a simple approach just over the baseline, dumping a shoulder height volley into the net, sailing a return on the wrong side of the line. And one by one, we found ourselves shaking hands at the net, on the losing side of the scoreboard.

Disappointing, but at the same time exhilarating. Last night was the first time that I felt really alive watching our team compete. These seesawing matches are the best! And despite being close in the team score against Northridge and Goshen, neither of the matches had the "Sectional pressure" feel of this match.

Our goal this season is to progress. To continue to grow. To continue to learn. To develop habits of proper preparation, commitment, technique and strategy. And then to be honest about what we learned and do it again. Take the next step. This gave us unbelievably great competition under pressure. And we learned that we have to be more consistent with our habits.

Every point of the match, we need to develop habits of focus. Deep breath. Focus words. How do I want to play this point? Visualize that. Do it.

In the JV match, we competed very well at the top of the lineup and in the final matches. It's those middle ones that we have to figure out. Most of all in the JV, we have to figure out what our best game looks like. What are our strengths and weaknesses and how do we play to them? Our most experienced JV players have very established strengths (Daniel's speed and effort, Dustin's forehand and serve, Jonathon's net play), but our younger players haven't learned yet where they have gifts and abilities.

That's the next step for the JV, where are your strengths?

I am so proud of the team tonight. Down one set at 4 positions, we could have given in and let Concord roll to an easy 5-0 victory. But we didn't, we relaxed and took the next step. Let's take the next step tomorrow.

Prayers
for the team
Lord, I am asking you to give us the proper perception of ourselves. Many times, we see ourselves as not quite as good as we are. Sometimes, we see ourselves as better than we are. Both of those false perceptions cause us to give less effort. Lord, help us to see that "we can," and that is all that matters to giving our best effort.

for the team
In the face of close losses, like we suffered tonight, there can be the tendency to turn inward to frustration. Instead, God, turn us to joy! What a night we had with our brothers, we all experienced something similar that we can share with each other. How much more brilliant it will be when we learn from this experience (together) and become even more consistent in playing how we want to play (together). I look forward to that, and am eager to begin preparing. Bless us all with this eagerness.

for the team
Lord, I long to hear positive words from my team. Let Your Spirit speak deep and positive truths to us this week. And then let those flow out of us and into each other. We have begun a great many things this month, practice, school, bands, youth group, tennis matches, and more... these things can deplete us. Fill us back up, with Your love and kindness.

Moment of Beauty
Byeong had moments of unbelievable tennis tonight. Against his most talented opponent, Byeong was forced to be on the aggressive. I loved to see it when it shown through. It's my favorite singles to watch in a while. Tonight, Byeong had a point where he drove balls into the corners and attacked the net, then angled off a short backhand volley that Will Boyer could not reach.

The best word to describe Ethan in this match against Concord was tenacious. He changed his style completely entering the second set and kept at every point. Nowhere was his aggressive and never-giving-up style more evident than when he would get into a long rally with Riley Huffer. One such rally, saw Ethan chase down several balls and then rip a forehand passing shot to Huffer's forehand corner. Huffer hit a nice passing shot down the line to Ethan's backhand which Ethan stretched to lift over the net and short to Huffer's forehand again. Rushing forward, Huffer again attempted a passing shot, and it handcuffed Ethan, coming hard at his body. But Ethan shuffled and stayed with the point, not jumping away in panic. He backhanded it floated and deep into the backhand corner where Huffer could not get back quick enough. He attempted a flicked one hand backhand that flew into the air but landed in the doubles alley of the #1 singles court beside them. A point where Ethan was both aggressive and tenacious, two great qualities under pressure.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 - Will Boyer (10)
#2S - Ethan Lapp - 0-6, 6-2, 6-7 (4) - Riley Huffer (12)
#3S - Jacob Gonsalves - 2-6, 2-6 - Nate Slabach (9)
#1D - Simon Hurst/Brandon Nguyen - 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4) - Mitch Boyer (12)/Nathan Hermon (11)
#2D - Jackson King/Lane Miller - 4-6, 7-5, 5-7 - Braden Fish (11)/Jake Lovette (11)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Daniel Robles - 8-4 - Jacob Shetterly (10)
#2SJV - Dustin Miller - 8-4 - Broc Johnson (10)
#3SJV - Philip Krabill - 2-8 - Tate Nicoson (11)
#4SJV - Tommy Nguyen - 2-6 - Brandon Pletcher (11)
#5SJV - Jonathon Yousey - 6-2 - Jack Steele (9)
#1DJV - Jonathon Yousey/Liam Bradford - 4-8 - Freddy Buckingham (11)/Drew McDougle (9)
#2DJV - Jonah Farran/Tommy Nguyen - 0-8 - Michael Hoffman (12)/Nate Rose (12)
#3DJV - Paul Krabill/Braydon Harshberger - 2-8 - Cal Whitaker (9)/Mark Rich (9)
#4DJV - Philip Krabill/Jonah Farran - 1-6 - Grant Luchesse (9)/Brock Troyer (9)
#5DJV - Paul Krabill/Daniel Robles - 6-0 - Carson Green (10)/Alex Serwatka (9)
#6DJV - Liam Bradford/Dustin Miller - 6-1 - Isaac Fisher (9)/Jared Kohn (10)

Letters from Concord

Dear Varsity Team,
Today was a historic day for our varsity program. We played Concord at home for the first time ever, and we defeated them for only the second time only. Concord was a young team, only one senior and a freshman playing #1S, but a talented team. They gave us a challenge with their energy and aggression early in the matches. Several of their players swung freely and hit unbelievable shots, passing us down the alley and rocketing some approach shots.

But we didn't worry about it. Today we just played the next point. Time and time again we played simply and smartly and well. I so appreciated our team attitude today. It was calm and confident. I appreciated your play also. The way Sol took care to keep the ball in and hit good approaches before finishing. The way that Byeong played loose and took the ball confidently on each point. The way Hans and Simon putaway volleys right through the middle. Ryan and Ethan had great hands and smart, consistent play. And Jesse, despite falling in three sets, had great shots throughout the match, especially approaches and short balls.

Great job today! Way to finish off matches and stay confident. It feels good to get our first win of the season, doesn't it?

Dear Junior Varsity Team,
You also played a great match today. I was especially impressed with how you responded from being severely challenged on Thursday and moved forward to this match. Today you were the ones who played with confidence and aggression. Daniel, I loved watching you fly around the court to run down every ball, and your forehand is truly nearing a varsity quality shot. Jackson, your forehand is there, and you used it to control your match. Doubles players, the power and movement that you played with made you difficult to handle. Dustin, way to keep your head and battle it out even when you were struggling with some of your shots. And Joel, you kept playing and swinging and going for it. I enjoyed watching it all. The more you play like this the better you'll get and the more ready for the harder challenges.

Dear Byeong Min,
You played amazing today! Way to just play every point. Now on to the next match, which is where your next point is...

Dear Lucas and Jonathan,
You finished your first match today. And I have to say, you got a little bit of everything. A good start, a tight match, bad line calls, changing tactics within the match. And you both played to your strengths tonight, which is so important. Lucas, you hit to the corners well and kept the groundstrokes in. Jonathan, you dominated the net, especially after you started hitting the angles. Most likely, these strengths will stay with you the whole time you're playing tennis (and they'll get more and more dominant). Enjoy them, they are your tennis gifts! And I might also add that I loved the point at the end of the match where you had a line call go against you, and instead of getting mad, you simply stayed calm and won the final two games to win your match!

Dear Humidity,
Ummm . . . go away please. I don't like sweating just because I'm standing outside.

Dear Tennis Ball Can,
I know now why Scott Hottell, my old tennis coach (and current coach) at Angola, uses you all the time as a water bottle. With all the stuff I have to get around for a tennis match, carrying a water bottle for myself is not something I remember. And then I spend the whole match jogging back and forth and getting super thirsty but with nothing to drink from. Today, I stayed nicely hydrated in the aforementioned humidity.

Dear God,
May we rejoice in You! After a win it is so easy to get wrapped up in the good feelings that come from winning. But that's not the important thing, You are.

Moment of Sheer Beauty
Byeong Min has the most beautiful of practice strokes. Last year we used to joke about him being a drill all-star. If we did a passing shot drill that would have a champion, every time it would be Byeong. This year, he's continued to have great practices, but sometimes it hasn't worked over into his matches. Today, he had a moment of sheer beauty. When our practice perfect matches up with our match perfect, that is a joyful thing. After a long rally with his junior opponent Mitch Boyer, Byeong was forced wide to his forehand side. Running out into the doubles alley, Byeong whipped his forehand down the line before Boyer even had a chance to split step. It was amazing!

Moment of Savage Beauty
This was the hardest category today for sure. There was a lot of solid solid, aggressive play today. Most of the #1D match was aggressively played. Then there was Lane Miller's smacking of a high forehand volley into the chest of his opponent who hadn't backed off the net. There were Byeong's winners and Sol's aces (2 in a row at one point!) All through the JV there were nominees, like Jonathan's overheads and Lucas and Bryce's forehands. But today, the award goes to Ryan Duckworth for a big play under pressure.

Tied at 1-1 in the second set, with Ryan serving, #2D went into a long game. Into deuce several times. Several times the Minutemen doubles team had a chance to take a 2-1 lead and put some second set pressure on the Bruins. Ryan and Ethan saved several break points, then took an advantage for the first time. With the Ad-In, Ryan let loose his only big serve of the match, pounding it into the backhand corner of the Ad box. The Minutemen player could barely get his racket on the ball, and Ryan and Ethan had established their lead in the match. They never lost another game.

SCORES

Varsity
#1S - Jesse Amstutz - 6-1, 4-6, 2-6 - Will Boyer (9)
#2S - Byeong Min Lim - 6-0, 6-1 - Mitch Boyer (11)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 6-0, 6-0 - Alex Dias (10)
#1D - Hans Miller/Simon Hurst - 6-3, 6-1 - Aaron Allen (12)/Riley Huffer (11)
#2D - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 6-0, 6-1 - Braden Fish (11)/Nathan Hermon (10)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Jackson King - 8-3 - Spenser Jaenichen (12)
#2SJV - Daniel Robles - 8-2 - Jake Lovette (10)
#3SJV - Dustin Miller - 8-5 - Jacob Shetterly (9)
#4SJV - Joel Yoder - 0-8 - Gideon Butler (10)
#1DJV - Landon Weldy/Brandon Nguyen - 8-3 - Tate Nicoson (10)/Brandon Pletcher (10)
#2DJV - Bryce Miller/Lane Miller - 8-1 - Kell McGee (11)/Broc Johnson (9)
#3DJV - Lucas Brownsberger-Keyes/Jonathan Yousey - 8-5 - Tate Nicoson (10)/Broc Johnson (9)

Chapter 4 - vs. Concord

"It gives me that push to not just go through the motions."

- Serena Williams, speaking about how she processes a loss.

We see the season as a gift. The whole thing, from bus rides to practice to tournaments to bad jokes to losses to rain outs to workouts to overheads to cross court battles. We believe that we have been gifted this year.

So what do we do with a loss?

It's a question we now have to face after stumbling at Concord this weekend. We came up against the #3 ranked team in northeast Indiana, and we gave them a great fight. But the Varsity couldn't quite turn the corner and find the resounding answer to win. 

Parth and Landon had to dig deep to grab a win at #2 doubles. Pushed for the first time this season, they found that keeping the ball in the court and going through the motions of good doubles wasn't going to be enough. They had to play with confidence and aggression. After a great first set, the confidence left and they found themselves trailing in the beginning of a deciding third set. But they did what great teams do... they attacked. And with confidence. They took the net, they moved their feet, they finished off points, they held their serve. And they got a beautiful third set win.

Joel and Hans got put back on their heels a bit in this match, but recovered and moved forward, attacking the net and communicating well to take a well earned victory. Abe and Jesse both played polished opponents and ground out as long of matches as they could muster. Jesse just barely missed playing a third set once again. But both the singles players lost.

In the meantime, Sol Brenneman had fought back from an 0-3 hole in the second set to win the set 7-5. This set up a third set that was for the varsity match. 

But, if you are reading from the beginning of this chapter, you already know that he didn't win. From the outside looking in, it looked like a combination of nerves, lack of energy, and shots from his opponent did Sol in. 

In the meantime, the JV cruised through their second win. They are still undefeated and playing great tennis for the most part. Today, the doubles were especially impressive, as they all played with new partners but figured it out pretty quickly. 

So, what brings this chapter to a close?

How about a verse, a quote, and a challenge...

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Serena Williams

It gives me that push to not just go through the motions.

A Challenge

Whether you are varsity, JV, or just a reader here, loss induces sadness. It is an opportunity squandered. Or at least that's what our minds tell us. There's no denying that there is sadness when we lose. But loss provides another opportunity, one that must be grasped joyfully. Loss reminds you to stop going through the motions (of practice, preparation, love or service) and return to your activity with the whole of your heart. Joyfully receiving this gift produces a completion that is what we will celebrate at season's end.

Varsity
#1S - Abraham Thorne - 1-6, 3-6 - Nick Pollock (12)
#2S - Jesse Amstutz - 4-6, 4-6 - Jared Searer (12)
#3S - Sol Brenneman - 5-7, 7-5, 1-6 - Riley Huffer (10)
#1D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 6-4, 6-3 - Mitch Boyer (10)/Aaron Allen (11)
#2D - Parth Patel/Landon Weldy - 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 - Mitchell Lozier (12)/Nathan Herman (9)

Junior Varsity
#1SJV - Byeong Min Lim - 8-1 - Braden Fish (10)
#2SJV - Justin Zehr - 8-4 - Erick Roebuck (12)
#3SJV - Jacob Gonsalves - 8-6 - Gideon Butler (9)
#1DJV - Ryan Duckworth/Ethan Lapp - 8-4 - Jake Diver (9)/Spenser Jaenichen (11)
#2DJV - Neel Bhagat/Jack Erlacher - 8-0 - Kell McGee (9)/Tate Nicoson (9)
#3DJV - Simon Hurst/Bryce Miller - 8-1 - Jake Lovette (9)/Brandon Pletcher (9)
#4DJV - Lane Miller/Brandon Nguyen - 8-3 - Kell McGee (9)/Tate Nicoson (9)
#5DJV - Matthew Peters/Jackson King - 7-8 (3) - ??? / ???
#6DJV - Jacob Rudy-Froese/Daniel Robles - 2-8 - Jake Diver (9)/Spenser Jaenichen (11)
#7DJV - Roberto Ramos/Paul Krabill - 8-5 - Jake Lovette (9)/Brandon Pletcher (9)

#03 - Harder and Flatter

The running joke this tennis season, started by senior Nathan Brendle, is that if you need to do better in your play, you should just hit the ball harder and flatter. Of course, this is usually the opposite of what you need, but let's see how this advice panned out on down the line, throughout the match against Concord.

First, at #2 singles, Ike Lehman could have used some different advice. Playing in his first singles match this season, he faced Minuteman senior Matt Kotva. Last year, Kotva took out Blake Shetler. This year, Ike went close in just about every game, but just missed on the big points. Ironically, when he would attack he would often get a flat shot and send the ball long. So Ike might need the exact opposite advice in his next match, something more like "spin and speed."

At #1 doubles, Hans and Joel faced off against an experienced squad of seniors. After getting off to a good start, they couldn't quite hold with the pace on the court. The Minuteman duo had serves that were putting us on our back feet, and putaways that, well, put us away. So Hans and Joel might need to go harder in their next match, in that way, the advice at least halfway holds.

Himal and Wade were playing their first varsity doubles match together at #2 doubles tonight. They hit the ball plenty hard tonight, especially when Wade was coming forward to attack high balls at the net or when Himal was slamming in his serve. Both weapons served them well tonight as they drove their way to a win, with Wade smashing away the last point. However, their only struggle came from balls that just floated, either long or to the net person from Concord. Perhaps they need a little bit of flatter.

Which takes us to the two epic varsity singles matches, the matches that ultimately decided the outcome of the team match.

Playing #3 singles for the first time this year, Abe Thorne didn't get off to the best of starts against fellow junior Jared Searer. To begin the first set, Abe seemed tentative and unsure, and got down 0-3. He found his groove in attacking the net, and ended up turning the first set around to his advantage, winning 6-4. In the second, he couldn't get anything going, and fell fairly quickly 1-6. This set up the third and final set, and with all the other matches finished, it was clear that we needed Abe's match to have a shot at a team victory.

Trading games was the trend in this third set, as no one ever really pulled ahead. Early Abe's attacking game paid dividends, as it loosened him up and allowed him to play with aggression. But Searer fought back, eventually holding a 5-4 advantage and trying to close out the set. But Abe held on behind some big serving and clutch scrambling. The final set entered a tiebreak to decide it. Abe came out big behind two big serves and some tight play from Searer. Winning the first 4 points, it looked like Abe might tie the team match at 2-2. But then, Abe could have used some of the joking advice - the part about hitting it harder. Tightening up, Abe began to push and lost a couple points, then some more, and all of a sudden, after a double fault, Abe had lost 7 straight points and thus the match.

It was and wasn't disappointing at the same time. Abe had played admirable tennis, but we had lost the team match. Which left just Nate on the court.

Playing #1 singles, Nate had won a long, hard first set over junior Nick Pollock. Trailing 5-4, Nate rallied to win the last three games and sealed a 7-5 set. It was an emotional set too, with Nate and Nick both grabbing energy from their winners and looking very dejected after mistakes. "C'mons!" and "Let's Go's!" rung through the courts.

The second set started, and Nate quickly lost his rhythm. No more were the encouraging cries coming from the court as a stream of errors and big serves from Nick led to a 0-5 for Nate. Talking to Nate at the fence, I reminded him of the necessity of finding that positive energy. Leave that last point behind, get energy from the good shots. 

And Nate accomplished just that. He turned the second set around, getting pumped and moving all around the court. Pulling 4 games in a row out, it looked like he'd maybe tie the set. But he didn't, and all of a sudden, we were also headed to a third set.

In the third set, it became evident early that Nick Pollock was trying to attack Nate's backhand off the serve return. Nate was also doing an insanely good job of attacking and moving Pollock when Nate was returning. So no one was holding. Nate is the biggest proponent of harder and flatter. But today, I told him that after his serve, as the ball came into his backhand, he needed more spin and less speed. The exact opposite of his advice.

But man, did Nate execute. Trailing 4-3 in the third set, he suddenly found big shot after big shot. A crushed forehand down the line, a backhand volley into the corner, an overhead from inside the service line, a backhand into the open court. Not only this, but he was gaining momentum from every shot as well. Errors were less frequent, and Pollock began to tighten a bit as well. In the final game, as a Pollock forehand flew long, Nate let out one final "Let's go!" on a big victory for him.

Harder and flatter... maybe sometimes. We could have used a little bit more of whatever Nate had inside him today. The final varsity scoreline of 2-3 seems cruel after how well the team played today. The truth is that our play today will win most matches. We'll just have to see if we can keep improving. But it probably won't come from harder and flatter.

Notes & Stats
- Nate's final match time of 3 hours and 12 minutes is the second longest match in Bethany Christian tennis history. Only Luke Hostetter's marathon-like 3 hours and 45 minutes is longer.

- The JV match also ended in a loss. 2-4. Although Concord had to have two of their positions play a second time. In first time only match-ups, it would have been 2-2.

- Another Bruin picked up their very first win today. After Jack Erlacher accomplished that feat on Thursday, Ethan Lapp won his first match today.

- Some others got their first win on the season. Sol Brenneman got a #1 singles JV win for his first of the year. That actually ties him for most JV victories this year, with a lot of others.

- I'm sure that Abe and Nate's matches had to be a record for the most "C'mons!" and "Let's go's!" But that was awesome!

- Nate's match was also one of the closest matches ever, with only 2 games decided every set.

- Last year, Abe's match against Jimtown at the Concord Invite was decided in a third set tiebreak. One year later, his match was again decided in a tiebreak.

- Joel and Hans actually held an early lead in their doubles match. They were the only Bruins varsity team to win the beginning game of their match.

- Landon and Tristan fought off two games where their opponents could have won the set, only to fall in a tiebreak. Bummer.

Scores
Varsity
#1S - Nathan Brendle - 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 - Nick Pollock (11)
#2S - Ike Lehman - 0-6, 1-6 - Matt Kotva (12)
#3S - Abe Thorne - 6-4, 1-6, 6-7 (4) - Jared Searer (11)
#1D - Joel Gerig/Hans Miller - 2-6, 0-6 - T Cunningham (12)/Trevor Warren (12)
#2D - Himal King/Wade Troyer - 6-4, 6-4 - Justin Ramsey (12)/Mitchell Lozier (11)

JV
#1SJV - Sol Brenneman - 6-1 - Aaron Allen (10)
#2SJV - Justin Zehr - 3-6 - Spenser Jaenichen (10)
#3SJV - Ethan Lapp - 6-1 - Braden Fish (9)
#1DJV - Landon Weldy/Tristan Clark - 6-7 (3) - Riley Huffer (9)/Mitch Boyer (9)
#2DJV - Roberto Ramos/Jack Erlacher - 4-6 - Aaron Allen (10)/Braden Fish (9)
#3DJV - Noah Hochstetler/Paul Krabill - 0-6 - ? / ?

Bethany Christian vs. Concord

So, much like we thought, our day at the Concord Invitational started with a match against Concord. It's a tough way to start a long day and a tough way to wake up in the morning. But we started out of the gate pretty well.

Well, at least our tennis game did. Our actual start to the day was a little rough. In what seems to be an annual tradition of sorts, the bus gave us all sorts of problems as we left from the school. First the parking brake had been left on, and so when I tried to release it, it stuck. So there we were, pullled off to the side on SR 15, trying to pry the pedal forward with a tire iron. Finally, I found a random wire and pushed on it, and off we went.

With a bit of a late start, we arrived, found out our first opponent and warmed up. As we took to the courts, I wasn't sure how much confidence we would come out with, but the beginning of the matches pretty much told the story of the day.

At #1 doubles, I decided to see how Mikey and Kyle would fair against a much stronger team than the Goshen team they dismantled on Thursday. Little did I know that Concord would be the best doubles team we will see this season. Matt Schoeffler and Jared Queener wasted little time taking a lead on the Bruins, and from the first point I knew we were up against formidable competition. Kyle boomed a serve out wide, and Schoeffler simply slid over and cracked a forehand at a severe angle for an outright winner. Nothing Kyle could do about it. Mikey and Kyle fought hard most of the match, but they were up against big forehands and big volleys and experience. It affected them, and they certainly didn't play as well as Thursday. Against such a good team, it might not have mattered anyway, but they fell in this match, 1-6, 2-6.

#2 doubles didn't fair any better. Russell Klassen and Austin Loucks had also pulled out a victory Thursday, looking good at times and falling short at others. In their match Saturday, against seniors Cory Swaller and Michael Ciesielski, they looked good through most of the match. It didn't matter. Ciesielski had played #2 doubles last season, and last year had Concord had been one of only 2 teams to take a victory over our 20-2 #2 doubles team. This year, he and Swaller looked even better than their doubles team last year. They also ripped forehands, like the whole Minutemen squad, and their pace never really gave Russell and Austin a chance to gain a foothold in the match. Only on Austin's serve did we seem to start points on even ground with the Minutemen, as Austin was doing a great job there. We had points here and there where we challenged and were aggressive, but all in all, Swaller and Ciesielski were more talented.

Nick Rebec took another shot at #3 singles, this time against Concord's coach's son, sophomore Jason Denton. Nick played 100 times better against the young Minuteman. His strokes were more consistent, deeper in the court, and he was able to attack the net. His increased level of play was enough to enable him to win 1 game. Denton had good foot speed and great hands, and most importantly of all made very few mistakes.

As the match wore on, #3S, #2D, and #1D were on about the same pace of match. Within seconds of each other, all of these matches finished, and that meant that we had lost the match, already down 3-0. But two matches were on the courts still, and in those matches the script was very different.

At #2 singles, Seth Krabill was engaged in a powerful match against senior Andre Moore. Moore had dominated the area at #3 singles last fall, and moved up due to some lineup shifting. Seth had not lost a match since his freshman year of high school, going undefeated on the JV last year and notching two victories this season. And Seth was not going away lightly in this match either. He came out confidently and took the lead early, really controlling points and getting Moore to move back and forth and make many errors. But Moore finally got his flat forehand going, and then the match featured some epic points. Both players pounded away at the ball and most points would end with one player stretching for the others brilliant shot. However, Seth never backed down from this challenge. He held the lead at 6-5 in the first set, but couldn't close it out. When Moore tied the match, he began a stretch of play that I have not seen the like of this season. He won the tiebreaker and then the first 5 games of the second set, completely pounding every shot and leaving Seth hustling back and forth on the baseline. But Seth never gave in. Slowly, Moore's form started to crack and Seth picked up his game. He took advantage of everything Moore gave him and brought the match back to 4-5. If he could tie it up, we would have a brand new ballgame, as Moore would have to deal with the crushing disappointment of losing a 5-0 second set lead. Unfortunately, Seth couldn't quite get there, as Moore ended the match with a crushing forehand up the line.

Ben's match at #1 singles was also impressive. He knew that Andre Ziebold had a big forehand, so he hit it into Andre's backhand all the time. And I mean, pretty much all the time. His reward? He won the first set 6-4. Actually, it wasn't just that he was hitting it into Andre's backhand. It was also that he was killing the ball and playing very confidently. Ben has several nice weapons, and can hit for winners when he needs to. It makes him a very dangerous player against people who are "better" than him. In the second set, Andre began to get his feet under him, and attacked back. He ran around the backhand and hit the forehand big, like he can. Ben got on his heels some during the second set, but still competed incredibly well. The match then went into the third set super tiebreaker. In the breaker, points went back and forth, and it was a close competition. At 8-7, Ziebold took the point to put some pressure on Ben. Facing match point, Ben played aggressively but watched a forehand fly agonizingly long.

So, it was an interesting way to start the day. We pushed a great team at the top two positions. In the end, this match showed us something important for the continuity of the program. It isn't necessarily how good you are at the top of the lineup that makes you a great team. It's how good you are at the bottom. Concord is going to be a state ranked team at some point this year, and it isn't because they have the best players in the state. It's because they worked hard from top to bottom and have 7 great players. Much like last year for us, Concord is a deep team. That's got to be our goal by the end of this season, and even as we work forward into next year. Develop all the way through!


With five losses, it could be hard to find moments to celebrate. But not in this match. We played many good points, worthy of beauty. But more than just points, I have to give the moment of beauty award to Ben Mast. Not just for one point, but for the way he played his whole match. It is one thing to have a strategy. What was beautiful about Ben's match was that he relaxed and executed his strategy to perfection. For a good part of the match, he pounded on every forehand, pulled every backhand crosscourt and played to Andre Ziebold's weaknesses. It was beautiful to watch those forehand winners down the line and crosscourt and the concern on Ziebold's face. Relaxing and executing may be the toughest thing in tennis, but it is beautiful when it happens.

Scores

#1S - Ben Mast - 6-4, 3-6, (7-10) - Andre Ziebold (12)
#2S - Seth Krabill - 6-7 (4), 4-6 - Andre Moore (12)
#3S - Nick Rebec - 0-6, 1-6 - Jason Denton (10)
#1D - Mikey Kelly/Kyle Miller - 1-6, 2-6 - Jared Queener (12)/Matt Schoeffler (12)
#2D - Austin Loucks/Russell Klassen - 1-6, 0-6 - Michael Ciesielski (12)/Cory Swaller (12)