Match Report #6: Prairie Heights

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Varsity Recap
This match was so close! I know that is how I started the Elkhart match report, but tonight was the same. It was another chance for us to play under pressure. But tonight ended with an exclamation mark! Tonight ended in the first team win of the year!

While all the singles matches were close, giving us opportunities to grow and show great grit in comebacks, the doubles matches were actually the ones that ended first. These matches were not close in scoreline, but many of the games and points were long and tightly contested. Especially at #1D, Austin and Matthew had many back and forth games that they had to pull out after multiple deuces. I was especially impressed at our ability to hold serve tonight, often serving out these long games with great serve and net play.

At #2D, the story of the serve was similar. Breece and Jacob both hit a groove and were able to hold their serve games easily. The confidence built there rolled right over into their return games as well. That was the biggest takeaway from this group, how positive and confident they played tonight. I was really impressed with their overall attitude.

So, the doubles finished up fairly quickly, but the singles did not. In each of the singles matches, we lost the first set. In Cameron's case, he fell behind quickly before he recovered the confidence to break back into the match. He was playing against at 3 year veteran at #1S, and he competed real well. After falling down 3-0 to start the match, Cam brought the first set back. He couldn't overcome the deficit, but kept his good play going into the second set. In a close set, Cam kept his nose in front on the scoreboard the whole set, up 3-2, then 4-3, then 5-4 as each changeover happened. He held this lead with consistent and attacking play, really controlling points with pace, placement and serve - and eliminating all the simple errors. It was so much fun to see. At the end, errors crept back in as things got tight, and that will be Cam's next step: swinging through the tightness to finish sets and matches.

At #3S, Ethan had a similar match, only he never really fell into any significant deficit in the first set. His opponent his the ball surprisingly hard for a #3S player, and had a really nice volley and drop shot. These skills combined really well with Ethan's ball striking ability to make for a really fun match to watch. Both players were scrambling around the court, playing all sorts of different shots - slices, approaches, overheads and lobs. Ethan couldn't quite get the edge in the first set, and after many close rallies, he lost the set. In the second set, Ethan fell behind as frustration and tightness built. But down 5-2, he finally swung through that and began to force the issue a bit more. A tactical adjustment also helped, as he glued himself to the baseline and refused to be moved. Suddenly, Ethan reeled off 3 games and held points to go to a 6-5 lead. His opponent played well in those moments, forcing Ethan to come up with big shots. Unfortunately, those opportunities weren't taken, and Ethan lost the close second set. But his turn around was a marked step in the right direction!

Finally at #2S, Noah faced another experienced opponent. Last year, his opponent had played Josh in one of the longest two set matches of our season. This year, Noah couldn't find the range in the first set and fell pretty quickly. Noah wasn't moving his feet proactively and often found himself hitting the ball late, not really being in control of the points. In the second set, Noah changed that quickly. He took the lead in the set as he focused on bringing his footwork into the match and getting his shots down the center of the court. This put him into a third set.

By the time he reached the third set, it was obvious that the team match would come down to who won this #2S match. Noah immediately looked nervous, as his opponent attacked his short, anxious shots and came to the net, putting Noah down 3-0 early in the set. With a little encouragement, Noah went back out in the next two games and put the ball deeper early in the point. This forced his opponent to be more tentative, and more errors came from that. Soon Noah had taken a 4-3 lead in the match. The next game lasted forever, with many deuces and many opportunities for both players - to either tie the match or take a 5-3 lead. With the ad, Noah was able to rip a passing shot to end the game and take the lead. In the next game, he was able to finish off the set.

Like that, Noah had been able to win 6 straight games and clinch the first season win for the Bruins. After a quick talk, we gathered together and celebrated with our team victory song - Sarasponda! 

JV Recap

There was only one JV match today, because PH only had one JV player. So Josiah played that spot for us. It was a close match, a really fun one to watch as a spectator, but kind of tense as the coach. I wanted Josiah to pull this out so badly, and as it went to a final tiebreaker I was feeling confident. Josiah built a lead, but as happened in a lot of our varsity singles matches, he got tight in finishing it out. He went for some big topspin forehands and missed. The match went past the normal tiebreak length, and PH pulled it out. It was a great effort, and another chance under pressure. 

The rest of our JV played mini-matches against each other. These matches were fun to experience too. Jacoby and Jacob played a nice doubles match against Tristan and Justin. This match was especially fun because of the high level of consistency that began to emerge in it. They were able to play some long and fun points. After it finished, Jacoby played Tristan in singles and Jacob took on Justin. Again, it was fun to see these guys work on the different parts of their game.

In another match, Ian and Emerson played Adam and Xayvion. Adam was in a tough spot, having returned from a family trip with little sleep. Ian and Emerson were able to get ahead and win the doubles. And the singles matches also went to them. 

I like times when we can play matches against others, but I also like the simple joy that comes from these pressure free matches. It reminds us how to play freely, which we can then carry over to our other matches.

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 :-)

Noah's big passing shot

Leading 4-3, Noah played a long game that determined whether the match would get tied back up at 4-4 or if Noah would get the lead at 5-3. When Noah finally had the advantage, his opponent played the next point by attacking the net, which had been working early in the set when Noah had been extremely nervous. Noah had been "short-arming" his passing shots early, hitting them too tentatively and they would hang in the air for an easy putaway. This ball floated toward Noah's backhand, but he took one step around it and smacked a low, topspin passing shot - inside out toward his opponent's backhand. The ball landed comfortably in, Noah had a 5-3 lead and big momentum. It was a great, smart, aggressive, and loose shot.

Cameron's serve

Cameron has really been serving well lately. At Elkhart he felt really good about this shot, but starting this match he felt tentative, a little off. Beginning the match it looked that way. But about halfway into the match, he really found his first serve. He began winning easy points where his opponents couldn't get solid returns in the court. These easy points were a key for Cam building a lead in the second set. They were really great to watch!

Josiah's placed slices

Josiah has a really dangerous shot, it's his slice. Sometimes, it's dangerous to him, because it floats too high in the air. But sometimes, he can place it with great precision and it is so dangerous to his opponents. In his tiebreak, Josiah had several slices that "wrong-footed" his opponent, sending the ball behind his opponent when he'd turned to run in the opposite direction. These low, simple shots were so effective, and really fun to see as winners!

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.

Breece's attitude

Breece had a great match of his own tonight. He and Jacob played well and won quickly. Because they were the first players off the court, they had time to go watch the rest of the matches. It was Breece's voice that I heard ring out with encouragement most often, and in the times when players needed the encouragement. He was instrumental in encouraging Ethan after he fell behind in the second set, and in encouraging Noah during the final games of his match. I appreciate when we bring our best on behalf of our teammates. And Breece certainly wasn't the only voice that was heard, just the loudest today :-)

Moment of Intention

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

God, I pray for this team. Before the year, we said we want to be very positive and encouraging toward one another. Tennis is so hard sometimes, because it can feel like your teammates are actually your competitors. Help us to enjoy pushing one another and help us use words that build up, not words that compete. Today, we had times to do that. Let us have words of kindness and appreciation for our opponents as well. Help us to be graceful and honest in times of challenge and pressure, to follow You through it all. Thanks for being with us in times of joy and difficulty. Thanks for just being with us as we fail, grow, and succeed. Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Cameron Heinisch - 3-6, 5-7 - Leyton Byler (11)

#2S - Noah Schrock - 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 - Breyton Ambler (11)

#3S - Ethan Pairitz - 3-6, 5-7 - Chase Bachelor (11)

#1D - Austin Shenk/Matthew Dyck - 6-1, 6-0 - Kaleb Lonsbury (11)/Hayden Culler (10)

#2D - Jacob Leininger/Breece Erickson - 6-1, 6-0 - Matt Levitz (10)/Luke Krapfl (10)

Junior Varsity

#1SJV - Josiah Schlabach - 7-8 (7) - Maverick Deveau (9)