Match Report #2: Northridge

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Varsity Recap
Onward. Forward.

At the beginning of team camp, I asked the team to come up with words that would define their character for the upcoming season. They chose many words, but among them were self-control, encourage, joy, positive and adaptable. 

Tonight we played a tough team, the Northridge Raiders. In most of our varsity matches, the scores were lopsided. This didn't mean that we played badly... in fact, for several of the guys their play tonight was some of their best this season. At the same time, when you are losing without much chance it is easy to give up. 

But we are a team of self-control, encouragement, joy, positivity and adaptability. 

The Raiders came at us tonight with a lot of emotion and vocal energy. After big points, they would yell to one another. They would creep toward the middle of the net, looking for timid shots that they could pound away for winners (or errors). They took away the easy shots and made us finish the points past them. This was not always an easy task, because we have sometimes started our matches too timidly. But what a chance it was for us to adapt. To find new solutions, to practice new shots. To move onward. To move forward.

Because the scorelines were bleak (1-6, 0-6 or 1-6, 1-6), there was the temptation to be negative about the experience. To drop our shoulders and heads and clench our fists at ourselves, or to look around and point fingers. Or it could be an opportunity to encourage one another, to find the parts of someone else's match that went well and offer them praise. Or to find a stroke or pattern that we performed well. A place to stand on and build from. A sincere strength from which to move onward, to push forward.

And finally, we weren't blind to the fact that the Raiders were the better team. But what we do is stay positive. As we talked about during a devotional at practice, positive doesn't mean pretending everything is okay. It's not great that we got beaten easily :-) Being positive is however is about expecting a hopeful change. Change that is moving in the right direction. Change going onward, forward. 

This is who we've chosen to be as a team. And so we'll take this opportunity! I'll highlight some great moments, and we'll adapt, encourage and keep positive about it.

JV Recap

The JV match was a lot closer than the varsity, in both the final team score and in the individual matches. Despite a final score of 4-3 for the Raiders, the team played excellent tennis. We were especially committed to competing, maybe even being too hard on ourselves at different points. 

Josiah played an excellent match. After a doubles victory on Monday, we slotted into a singles slot and mixed up his topspin and slice. His opponent was very consistent, choosing to keep most balls back toward the center of the court. The game became about who could make the other miss first, and it was a really fun match to watch. Unfortunately, in this close one, Josiah lost 6-8.

Justin played another great singles match, but in this one Justin was able to come out the winner. It was Justin's first match of the season, because Jimtown didn't have enough players on Monday. Justin has a willingness to move to the ball, and then great consistent groundstrokes. He put so many balls in play that it made it difficult for his opponent, and he got an 8-1 win.

Ian struggled with his consistency in his singles match, but began to turn it around playing a doubles match. Teaming up with Tristan, the pair would go through spurts of good solid play where they forced errors from the Raiders. But then they would often become timid, and the Raiders would dominate, as Tristan and Ian looked a little helpless and dropped lots of mishit shots in the net. In tennis, we can get scared like this and tighten up. When we do, we try to swing slower or hit tentatively. This usually makes things worse. I reminded Ian and Tristan that if they kept hitting timidly, they would lose and they would be very frustrated. But if they took their shots, swung through with looseness and confidence, they might still lose - but they would have nothing to be frustrated about. They would have played their best. So Ian and Tristan went back out and swung loose and free, and amazingly won the rest of the games in their match.

Tristan had struggled with that consistency of confidence in his first match too, with Jacoby. Jacoby got a second attempt as well, playing with Keagan. And the two of them exuded confidence and energy. I loved watching them patrol the net and cut off the middle. Keagan's groundstrokes were consistent and Jacoby covered the court well. It ended in an 8-3 win for the Bruins.

Emerson and Adam also started strong in their doubles match. Their consistency was a strength and their opponent's weakness. As the match wore on, the Raiders started to increase the power of their serves - and to get more of them in. Emerson and Adam kept it close, but lost 5-8. 

So the JV match was a great experience. We learned to go after our shots, to move, and to stay confident. 

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 :-)

Breece's crosscourt backhands

Breece consistently has moments of brilliance in his matches. At Angola, it was his serves. Against Jimtown, it was passing shots. Against Northridge, it was his crosscourt backhand. When he moved and hit, moved and hit, Breece would often line up a killer crosscourt shot. It was really beautiful to watch.

Tristan's ace

When I told Ian and Tristan to play loose, it was going into Tristan's serve. I told him to start the next game going for his serve, to let loose and swing hard. He did. Tristan walked up confidently and smacked an ace out wide past his opponent's forehand. 

Leininger's determination

Sometimes, the beautiful things aren't one moment, but a series of moments that shows you a pattern. Jacob Leininger showed a pattern of determination against Northridge that was beautiful and inspiring. Throughout his match, Jacob played long, epic games. Games that went to deuce multiple times. Often times, Jacob would lose the first point of deuce and have the advantage against him. But again and again, he would force it back to deuce. It was inspiring to see him never give up.

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.

Cheering on the last matches

While Northridge did lots of cheering and shouting during the varsity match, I was really proud of our guys when it came to the final matches. Our team all gathered around to watch Keagan, Jacoby, Ian and Tristan finish off their wins. We cheered and encouraged and were really positive with these JV matches both when they did good things, or things that we shall "never speak of again." It was so fun to watch the cheers going up for our players, something I hope to continue to see!

Moment of Intention

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

God, I'm grateful for each opportunity to watch the team grow. I'm grateful for the things that individuals were able to learn from their matches last night. I'm grateful for the positives that we get to embrace with real hope. But I'm most grateful for the way the guys were able to be encouragers. These guys want the best for each other, and I'm glad I get to be a part of it. Thanks for Your Spirit, and the way it produces goodness and kindness among this team. Give us true joy as well. Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 1-6, 0-6 - Brendan LaCounte

#2S - Breece Erickson - 1-6, 1-6 - Brandon Lomas

#3S - Jacob Leininger - 1-6, 1-6 - Nolan Mellott

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 2-6, 1-6 - Evan Nay/Collin Seegert

#2D - Jacob Shank/Noah Schrock - 1-6, 0-6 - Kaleb Ellis/Zak Martin

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Josiah Schlabach - 6-8 - Elijah Shell

#2SJV - Ian McHugh - 1-8 - Carter Krizmanick

#3SJV - Justin Hochstedler - 8-1 - Josh Miller

#1DJV - Tristan Mast/Jacoby Reinhardt - 4-8 - Harry Brown/Mason Mann

#2DJV - Adam Siemens-Rhodes/Emerson Landis - 5-8 - Mason Bales/Will Gingrich

#3DJV - Tristan Mast/Ian McHugh - 8-6 - Trevor Tompkins/Lucas Wensel

#4DJV - Jacoby Reinhardt/Keagan Meyer - 8-3 - Aden Yi/Gavin Mullins