Warriors Send Tigers To 0-3 In NLC
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Wawasee boys tennis coach Phil Mishler refers to what he is doing with the Warriors as "building a program."
Wawasee took another step in establishing itself Tuesday night with a 4-1 win at Northern Lakes Conference rival Warsaw - a team Wawasee hasn't beaten since the 1993 sectionals.
"We are a very young team, we're building," Mishler said. "When you win a rivalry, it's a break through, it builds confidence."
The win improves Wawasee to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in NLC action. A year ago the young Warriors were 4-12. Wawasee's two NLC losses this year have come to Concord and Northridge, both by a 3-2 count.
"We have the same guys we had last year," Mishler said. "For the most part we played freshmen and sophomores. When you go 4-12 you don't have the advantage of knowing how to close out big matches."
Last night the Warriors proved they could close out big matches.
Take for instance Wawasee sophomore Josh Abrams playing in the No. 2 singles position. Not the biggest guy on the court or the one with the most powerful serve, but he got the job done using soft lobs that put his opponent on the run.
With the match tight, Warsaw senior Ryan Dill questioned a line call by Abrams. Dill thought the ball was on the line - making it in play. When Dill was left to make a line call, he called Abrams' shot out - a shot Abrams and the fans clearly thought was in.
After a meeting with both coaches, the rest of the match was played in front of a line judge. Abrams never lost his composure through the ordeal, simply did what he had to do to pick up the 6-2, 6-4 win.
"Josh is just a super consistent player," Mishler said. "He frustrates others with his style of play. He figures out what he needs to do and gets it done."
Said Warsaw coach Andy Lewis, who lost to Wawasee for the first time, "Abrams did a nice job of being consistent and finding Dill's weak spots. He came in wanting to win and he found a way to do it."
The loss drops Warsaw to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
"It's a tough pill to swallow," Lewis said. "This is the first time I've ever been 0-3 in the NLC. We're usually 3-0 or 2-1 at this point.
"I've gotta remember I have a lot of freshmen and sophomores playing varsity. Last year we had seven seniors, a lot of them who had been playing varsity since they were sophomores."
Warsaw's lone win of the evening - the first match to complete - came at No. 1 singles where junior Brad Simmons took care of Warrior junior Scott Beasley 6-0, 6-0.
"Brad came ready to play," Lewis said. "He did and excellent job. He was injured last year, he's come a long way."
The Warriors needed to take the Tigers to three sets in just one match.
Wawasee senior Seth Beer and sophomore Rosten Trobaugh - teamed up at No. 2 doubles, the last match of the evening to finish - topped Kenneth Honnefer and Tyler Wallen 6-1 in the first set. The Tiger duo turned the tables in the second set, winning 6-2. Wawasee came back and won the third set 7-5.
"Doubles is a game of momentum," Mishler said. "When one team is on a roll the other one has to stop them. We rolled the first set, and then they rolled. I think we learned an important lesson in the second set."
Lewis said this loss was a good lesson for his team.
"The bright spot is seeing Wawasee come in ready to play," Lewis said. "We came in flat and Wawasee took advantage of that. It's a good lesson for the guys."
The Warriors also got wins at No. 3 singles, where sophomore Evan Gerard topped junior Brandon Conley 6-4, 6-3 and at No.1 doubles where juniors Mickey Ashpole and Logan Pilcher topped Travis Yoder and Colin Nicols 6-3, 6-4.
Wawasee will be at Bremen Thursday, while Warsaw will be involved in a Northern Lakes Conference match Thursday at NorthWood.
WAWASEE 4, WARSAW 1
Singles
No. 1 - Brad Simmons (War) def. Scott Beasley 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 - Josh Abrams (Wawa) def. Ryan Dill 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 - Evan Gerard (Wawa) def. Brandon Conley 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 - Mickey Ashpole/Logan Pilcher (Wawa) def. Travis Yoder/Colin Nicols 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Rosten Trobaugh/Seth Beer (Wawa) def. Kenneth Honnefer/Tyler Wallen 6-1, 2-6, 7-5
Warsaw record: 2-6 (0-3 NLC)
Wawasee record: 7-3 (2-2 NLC)
JV - Warsaw 4, Wawasee 0
Singles
No. 1 - Luke Wright (War) def. Joey Szynal 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 - Mark Sherman (War) def. John Lundgren 8-2
No. 3 - did not play
Doubles
No. 1 - Adam Richardson/Jason Ladd (War) def. Jason McDowell/Ben Knisely 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Ryan Ellsworth/Sherwin Bajas (War) def. Tony Bachtel/Silia Beer 8-4 [[In-content Ad]]
Wawasee boys tennis coach Phil Mishler refers to what he is doing with the Warriors as "building a program."
Wawasee took another step in establishing itself Tuesday night with a 4-1 win at Northern Lakes Conference rival Warsaw - a team Wawasee hasn't beaten since the 1993 sectionals.
"We are a very young team, we're building," Mishler said. "When you win a rivalry, it's a break through, it builds confidence."
The win improves Wawasee to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in NLC action. A year ago the young Warriors were 4-12. Wawasee's two NLC losses this year have come to Concord and Northridge, both by a 3-2 count.
"We have the same guys we had last year," Mishler said. "For the most part we played freshmen and sophomores. When you go 4-12 you don't have the advantage of knowing how to close out big matches."
Last night the Warriors proved they could close out big matches.
Take for instance Wawasee sophomore Josh Abrams playing in the No. 2 singles position. Not the biggest guy on the court or the one with the most powerful serve, but he got the job done using soft lobs that put his opponent on the run.
With the match tight, Warsaw senior Ryan Dill questioned a line call by Abrams. Dill thought the ball was on the line - making it in play. When Dill was left to make a line call, he called Abrams' shot out - a shot Abrams and the fans clearly thought was in.
After a meeting with both coaches, the rest of the match was played in front of a line judge. Abrams never lost his composure through the ordeal, simply did what he had to do to pick up the 6-2, 6-4 win.
"Josh is just a super consistent player," Mishler said. "He frustrates others with his style of play. He figures out what he needs to do and gets it done."
Said Warsaw coach Andy Lewis, who lost to Wawasee for the first time, "Abrams did a nice job of being consistent and finding Dill's weak spots. He came in wanting to win and he found a way to do it."
The loss drops Warsaw to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
"It's a tough pill to swallow," Lewis said. "This is the first time I've ever been 0-3 in the NLC. We're usually 3-0 or 2-1 at this point.
"I've gotta remember I have a lot of freshmen and sophomores playing varsity. Last year we had seven seniors, a lot of them who had been playing varsity since they were sophomores."
Warsaw's lone win of the evening - the first match to complete - came at No. 1 singles where junior Brad Simmons took care of Warrior junior Scott Beasley 6-0, 6-0.
"Brad came ready to play," Lewis said. "He did and excellent job. He was injured last year, he's come a long way."
The Warriors needed to take the Tigers to three sets in just one match.
Wawasee senior Seth Beer and sophomore Rosten Trobaugh - teamed up at No. 2 doubles, the last match of the evening to finish - topped Kenneth Honnefer and Tyler Wallen 6-1 in the first set. The Tiger duo turned the tables in the second set, winning 6-2. Wawasee came back and won the third set 7-5.
"Doubles is a game of momentum," Mishler said. "When one team is on a roll the other one has to stop them. We rolled the first set, and then they rolled. I think we learned an important lesson in the second set."
Lewis said this loss was a good lesson for his team.
"The bright spot is seeing Wawasee come in ready to play," Lewis said. "We came in flat and Wawasee took advantage of that. It's a good lesson for the guys."
The Warriors also got wins at No. 3 singles, where sophomore Evan Gerard topped junior Brandon Conley 6-4, 6-3 and at No.1 doubles where juniors Mickey Ashpole and Logan Pilcher topped Travis Yoder and Colin Nicols 6-3, 6-4.
Wawasee will be at Bremen Thursday, while Warsaw will be involved in a Northern Lakes Conference match Thursday at NorthWood.
WAWASEE 4, WARSAW 1
Singles
No. 1 - Brad Simmons (War) def. Scott Beasley 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 - Josh Abrams (Wawa) def. Ryan Dill 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 - Evan Gerard (Wawa) def. Brandon Conley 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 - Mickey Ashpole/Logan Pilcher (Wawa) def. Travis Yoder/Colin Nicols 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 - Rosten Trobaugh/Seth Beer (Wawa) def. Kenneth Honnefer/Tyler Wallen 6-1, 2-6, 7-5
Warsaw record: 2-6 (0-3 NLC)
Wawasee record: 7-3 (2-2 NLC)
JV - Warsaw 4, Wawasee 0
Singles
No. 1 - Luke Wright (War) def. Joey Szynal 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 - Mark Sherman (War) def. John Lundgren 8-2
No. 3 - did not play
Doubles
No. 1 - Adam Richardson/Jason Ladd (War) def. Jason McDowell/Ben Knisely 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Ryan Ellsworth/Sherwin Bajas (War) def. Tony Bachtel/Silia Beer 8-4 [[In-content Ad]]