- April 19, 2024
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In search of becoming just the second team at Matanzas to win a conference title, the Pirates boys tennis team fell short on Thursday, losing to Creekside, 5-2, in the St. Johns River Athletic Conference championship match.
Matanzas coach Rich Cottingham said after the match that although he wanted to see his team make history, now the attention shifts to the district tournament, which will take place April 2-3.
“If we keep playing the way we’ve been playing, we should have a good chance (at districts),” Cottingham said.
David Roberts and Nick Petrillo, Matanzas’ No. 1 and No. 2 players, respectively, both won their singles matches on Thursday. Playing together, they lost their doubles match, 8-6, despite leading early.
Henry Lao, the No. 3 singles player, withdrew from his match because of a knee injury he suffered playing in his doubles match. Fischer Harrington (No. 4) and Jose Cadre (No. 5) both lost their matches.
At this point, the key for Matanzas is staying healthy.
Cottingham didn’t think Lao’s injury was too serious, and he expects Lao to be ready for next week’s district match against Bartram Trail.
“He’s the difference in us winning districts, so we needed to save him for that,” Cottingham said.
With Lao being a top third player, he stretches the Pirates’ lineup. The last two years, Matanzas won first and second singles, as well as first doubles, but then lose the match, 4-3.
With Lao being a tough matchup for most opponent’s No. 3 player, it allows Matanzas to be dangerous with both doubles teams as well as Nos. 1-3 in the singles lineup.
Matanzas (9-3) will play Bartram Trail next Wednesday in a district match. Then, the Pirates host Middleburg on March 21. After that, it’s districts.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Singles
Roberts (Mat) def. Ramsundar, 8-1
Petrillo (Mat) def. Antkiewicz, 9-7
Foster (C) def. Lao (withdrew, knee)
Klein (C) def. Harrington, 8-0
Guest (C) def. Cadre, 8-0
Doubles
Ramsundar/Klein (C) def. Roberts/Petrillo, 8-6
Antkiewicz/Foster (C) def. Lao/Harrington, 8-1
