Manchester Netters Top Wawasee
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE -ÊAll year Wawasee boys tennis coach Paula Searfoss has been searching for that elusive third point.
The Warriors' Justin McDowell and Raphael Busch have been solid at No. 1 and 2 singles respectively but they have gotten much help from their teammates.
Such was the case Tuesday afternoon as Wawasee fell to visiting Manchester 3-2 on the tennis courts at Wawasee High School.
Mancheseter's Andrew Gnagy and Kyle Lahman earned the first win of the night for the Squires with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles.
Lahman was playing in place of David Cable though Manchester coach Eric Christiansen said the depth he has on this year's team allows those sort of changes and don't cause much of a drop-off.
Next off the court after the No. 2 doubles match was the No. 3 singles match where Manchester's Brandon Wiley topped the Warriors' Dorian Speicher 6-1, 6-0.
Manchester then secured the match when Gavin McNeeley and Steven Camp upended Wawasee's Hayden Shock and Rees Woodcock 6-3, 6-2 in No. 1 doubles action.
According to Searfoss, Woodcock will move from No. 1 doubles to No. 3 singles for the postseason.
Wawasee's two wins were not only the last two matches off the court, but perhaps the most entertaining.
McDowell didn't attack or hit the ball the way Searfoss wanted but he controled the tempo in a 6-2, 6-4 win over Bryant Wiley.
"Justin can hit the ball harder," said Searfoss. "He wasn't hitting the ball very hard tonight but he was able to win."
Manchester's Nate Cain gave all Busch he could handle before falling 6-1, 7-6 (4). Cain and Busch engaged in several long points.
After looking shaky in the first set, Cain nearly pushed the match to a third and final set.
Though Manchester fell in the top two singles matches, Christiansen isn't concerened.
If anything Christiansen thinks it will help in sectional play.
"Even with Nate and Bryant losing, they played very good players. For them it's letting them figure things out. I think the reason why they struggled before was becasue I was overcoaching them. I've sort of stepped back and they've responded and gotten better."
For Wawasee, the issue heading into sectional play isn't so much in terms of ability as it is confidence.
"With the season they've had confidence has been an issue," said Searfoss. "I keep telling them its not over 'til its over. They have the skills. They just lack the confidence. And that just comes with playing matches."
In junior varsity aciton, Manchester and Wawasee played to a 3-3 tie.
The Squires end the regular season with a record of 12-2. Manchester opens up the Peru Sectional against Maconaquah Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
"They've all talked about not looking past Maconaquah," said Christiansen of his team. "These kids have grown up."
Manchester defeated Maconaquah earlier in the year 4-1 but Christiansen said the match was tighter than the score indicates.
With the loss, Wawasee finished winless at 0-14. The Warriors will take on Tippecanoe Valley in the opening round of the Warsaw Sectional at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Vikings enter Thursday's match with a record of 1-12.
MANCHESTER 3, WAWASEE 2
Singles
No. 1 - Justin McDowell (W) def. Bryant Wiley 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 - Raphael Busch (W) def. Nate Cain 6-1, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 - Brandon Wley (M) def. Dorian Speicher 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Gavin McNeeley/Steven Camp (M) def. Hayden Shock/Rees Woodcock 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 - Andrew Gnagy/Kyle Lahman (M) def. Vince Baumbartner/Jose Rodriguez 6-0, 6-1
JV -ÊManchester 3, Wawasee 3
Singles
No. 1 -ÊAndy Bushong (M) def. Nick Sommers 8-2
No. 2 - Scott Spaulding (M) def. Ryan Smith 8-0
No. 3 - Andrew Baker (M) def. Ryan Hoover 8-4
No. 4 - Tony Vuiltonet (W) def. Brandon Gray 8-5
No. 5 - Tony Vuiltonet (W) def. Jacob Kincaid 8-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Chris Brill/Jake Garner (W) def. Dale Ruppert/Erik Hand 8-5 [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE -ÊAll year Wawasee boys tennis coach Paula Searfoss has been searching for that elusive third point.
The Warriors' Justin McDowell and Raphael Busch have been solid at No. 1 and 2 singles respectively but they have gotten much help from their teammates.
Such was the case Tuesday afternoon as Wawasee fell to visiting Manchester 3-2 on the tennis courts at Wawasee High School.
Mancheseter's Andrew Gnagy and Kyle Lahman earned the first win of the night for the Squires with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles.
Lahman was playing in place of David Cable though Manchester coach Eric Christiansen said the depth he has on this year's team allows those sort of changes and don't cause much of a drop-off.
Next off the court after the No. 2 doubles match was the No. 3 singles match where Manchester's Brandon Wiley topped the Warriors' Dorian Speicher 6-1, 6-0.
Manchester then secured the match when Gavin McNeeley and Steven Camp upended Wawasee's Hayden Shock and Rees Woodcock 6-3, 6-2 in No. 1 doubles action.
According to Searfoss, Woodcock will move from No. 1 doubles to No. 3 singles for the postseason.
Wawasee's two wins were not only the last two matches off the court, but perhaps the most entertaining.
McDowell didn't attack or hit the ball the way Searfoss wanted but he controled the tempo in a 6-2, 6-4 win over Bryant Wiley.
"Justin can hit the ball harder," said Searfoss. "He wasn't hitting the ball very hard tonight but he was able to win."
Manchester's Nate Cain gave all Busch he could handle before falling 6-1, 7-6 (4). Cain and Busch engaged in several long points.
After looking shaky in the first set, Cain nearly pushed the match to a third and final set.
Though Manchester fell in the top two singles matches, Christiansen isn't concerened.
If anything Christiansen thinks it will help in sectional play.
"Even with Nate and Bryant losing, they played very good players. For them it's letting them figure things out. I think the reason why they struggled before was becasue I was overcoaching them. I've sort of stepped back and they've responded and gotten better."
For Wawasee, the issue heading into sectional play isn't so much in terms of ability as it is confidence.
"With the season they've had confidence has been an issue," said Searfoss. "I keep telling them its not over 'til its over. They have the skills. They just lack the confidence. And that just comes with playing matches."
In junior varsity aciton, Manchester and Wawasee played to a 3-3 tie.
The Squires end the regular season with a record of 12-2. Manchester opens up the Peru Sectional against Maconaquah Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
"They've all talked about not looking past Maconaquah," said Christiansen of his team. "These kids have grown up."
Manchester defeated Maconaquah earlier in the year 4-1 but Christiansen said the match was tighter than the score indicates.
With the loss, Wawasee finished winless at 0-14. The Warriors will take on Tippecanoe Valley in the opening round of the Warsaw Sectional at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Vikings enter Thursday's match with a record of 1-12.
MANCHESTER 3, WAWASEE 2
Singles
No. 1 - Justin McDowell (W) def. Bryant Wiley 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 - Raphael Busch (W) def. Nate Cain 6-1, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 - Brandon Wley (M) def. Dorian Speicher 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Gavin McNeeley/Steven Camp (M) def. Hayden Shock/Rees Woodcock 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 - Andrew Gnagy/Kyle Lahman (M) def. Vince Baumbartner/Jose Rodriguez 6-0, 6-1
JV -ÊManchester 3, Wawasee 3
Singles
No. 1 -ÊAndy Bushong (M) def. Nick Sommers 8-2
No. 2 - Scott Spaulding (M) def. Ryan Smith 8-0
No. 3 - Andrew Baker (M) def. Ryan Hoover 8-4
No. 4 - Tony Vuiltonet (W) def. Brandon Gray 8-5
No. 5 - Tony Vuiltonet (W) def. Jacob Kincaid 8-4
Doubles
No. 1 - Chris Brill/Jake Garner (W) def. Dale Ruppert/Erik Hand 8-5 [[In-content Ad]]