Boys tennis takes down tough conference rival

The+boys+tennis+team+lines+up+before+the+match.

Carly Rubin

The boys tennis team lines up before the match.

The Homestead boys tennis team continued its winning streak in conference with a 5-2 win against Cedarburg on Tuesday, May 11.

Michael Morway, freshman, swept at two singles, 6-0 and 6-1. David Berman, senior, followed in Morway’s lead and beat his opponent 6-0 and 6-2. At one and four singles, Eric Mullins, junior, and Connor McPike, senior, were unable to pull off victories. Despite this, both put up a fight and the scores were close.

“This was my third time playing [my opponent] and every time we have played it has been close. Every point was long so I tried to be as consistent as possible and come to the net to end points,” Mullins said. “His serve and net play made him really hard to break and that’s what ended up being the x-factor of the match.”

In doubles, the pairs of Tucker Gabriel, junior, and Aaron Holman, senior, Sydan Parker, junior, and Robby Baranko, sophomore, and Jeff Lalande, senior, and Eric Simonsen, junior, all took down their opponents in short sets, greatly contributing to the win as a team.

“Tucker and I have been playing well this season and know we have the ability to beat any team in the state,” Holman said.

Despite having two losses, the team is very happy with the outcome against a tough conference rival. The team is currently 6-1 in conference and hopes to maintain its spot at the top.

“The meet went well and helped us gain ground in conference. We all started strong which led to a big part of our victory,” McPike said.

Although the team came on top in this match, they “have to keep practicing and focus on upcoming matches,” according to McPike.

Constant practice will help to improve and keep winning matches. “We need to work on closing out close second sets and hitting volleys with a purpose,” Lalande said.

“Everyone has been stepping up to the challenge when presented and have always been thinking of the team,” Holman said. “As a team, our main goal this year is to win conference, something we definitely have the capability to do.”

The boys look to accomplish their goal at the conference meet on Saturday, May 14.