Manchester Netters Edge Whitko
September 16, 2016 at 4:20 p.m.
By Mark Howe-mhowe@timesuniononline.com
Manchester won both doubles matches and at No. 3 singles in straight sets to secure a 3-2 win over the visiting Wildcats in Three Rivers Conference play Thursday.
The matches at No. 1 and No. 2 singles were very tight. But with the team competition settled, the remaining two matches went to tiebreakers, rather than full-fledged third sets.
At No. 1 singles, Manchester’s Luke Donathan won the opening set 6-3 before Whitko’s Bailey Platt answered with a 6-2 win in the second set. In the 10-point, have-to-win-by-two tiebreaker, Platt earned a 13-11 win for the match.
Whitko’s Cory Hersha and Manchester’s Spence Trick were neck-and-neck for the first two sets, with several long points and Trick successfully returning the ball with his back to the net on several occasions. They split a pair of sets with 7-5 scores before Hersha pulled away in the tiebreaker 10-1.
But the Squires secured the team win with Heath Dierks and Parker Wagoner dispatching Micah Cokl and Austin Hollowell 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles, with Kyle Shepherd and Uria Hein taking a 6-0, 6-2 win over Luke Spurlin and Devon Akers. Manchester’s Logan Parrett downed Nathan Smith 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.
“I was pleased with our doubles teams; they came out and set the tone early and played quality, consistent tennis,” Manchester head coach Eric Screeton said. “And they have been for most of the year, so that was nice to see.
“Logan Parrett at No. 3 singles, he’s had some really tough matches of late. He’s played really well but has come up on the losing end. He played consistent as well, and it was nice to see those guys get off to that kind of a start. It took a little bit of pressure off the other two spots. I thought those matches went well and those guys played well, too.”
Platt and Hersha knew they were playing for pride. They had the courts to themselves and their opponents for about an hour.
“They’re both definitely competitive players,” Whitko coach Victoria Cornell said. “Bailey plays with a lot of heart, and Cory’s very competitive and doesn’t like to lose. So he’s going to persevere and push through and do whatever he can to win. Both matches were nail-biters, and they were fun matches to watch, and it was nice to come out on top.”
Platt and Hersha are Whitko’s only two seniors. The rest of the Wildcat team has minimal experience, and Cornell said there’s some growing pains to go through.
“Monday was the first match where we had seven players, and for some of the guys this is all new,” she said. “One guy, this was his third match, and so they’re still learning, and there’s a lot to learn.”
Whitko fell to 1-9 overall, 0-3 in the TRC, and plays in the Knox Tournament Saturday. Manchester improved to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the TRC. The Squires travel to Rochester on Monday.
MANCHESTER 3, WHITKO 2
Singles:?No. 1 – Bailey Platt (W) def. Luke Donathan (M)?6-3, 2-6 (13-11 tiebreaker); No. 2 – Cory Hersha (W) def. Spence Trick (M) 5-7, 7-5 (10-1 tiebreaker); No. 3 – Logan Parrett (M) def. Nathan Smith (W) 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1 – Heath Dierks & Parker Wagoner (M) def. Micah Cokl & Austin Hollowell 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 – Kyle Shepherd & Uria Hein (M) def. Luke Spurlin & Devon Akers (W) 6-0, 6-2.
Records: Whitko 1-9 (0-3 TRC), Manchester 2-6 (1-2 TRC)
Manchester won both doubles matches and at No. 3 singles in straight sets to secure a 3-2 win over the visiting Wildcats in Three Rivers Conference play Thursday.
The matches at No. 1 and No. 2 singles were very tight. But with the team competition settled, the remaining two matches went to tiebreakers, rather than full-fledged third sets.
At No. 1 singles, Manchester’s Luke Donathan won the opening set 6-3 before Whitko’s Bailey Platt answered with a 6-2 win in the second set. In the 10-point, have-to-win-by-two tiebreaker, Platt earned a 13-11 win for the match.
Whitko’s Cory Hersha and Manchester’s Spence Trick were neck-and-neck for the first two sets, with several long points and Trick successfully returning the ball with his back to the net on several occasions. They split a pair of sets with 7-5 scores before Hersha pulled away in the tiebreaker 10-1.
But the Squires secured the team win with Heath Dierks and Parker Wagoner dispatching Micah Cokl and Austin Hollowell 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles, with Kyle Shepherd and Uria Hein taking a 6-0, 6-2 win over Luke Spurlin and Devon Akers. Manchester’s Logan Parrett downed Nathan Smith 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.
“I was pleased with our doubles teams; they came out and set the tone early and played quality, consistent tennis,” Manchester head coach Eric Screeton said. “And they have been for most of the year, so that was nice to see.
“Logan Parrett at No. 3 singles, he’s had some really tough matches of late. He’s played really well but has come up on the losing end. He played consistent as well, and it was nice to see those guys get off to that kind of a start. It took a little bit of pressure off the other two spots. I thought those matches went well and those guys played well, too.”
Platt and Hersha knew they were playing for pride. They had the courts to themselves and their opponents for about an hour.
“They’re both definitely competitive players,” Whitko coach Victoria Cornell said. “Bailey plays with a lot of heart, and Cory’s very competitive and doesn’t like to lose. So he’s going to persevere and push through and do whatever he can to win. Both matches were nail-biters, and they were fun matches to watch, and it was nice to come out on top.”
Platt and Hersha are Whitko’s only two seniors. The rest of the Wildcat team has minimal experience, and Cornell said there’s some growing pains to go through.
“Monday was the first match where we had seven players, and for some of the guys this is all new,” she said. “One guy, this was his third match, and so they’re still learning, and there’s a lot to learn.”
Whitko fell to 1-9 overall, 0-3 in the TRC, and plays in the Knox Tournament Saturday. Manchester improved to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the TRC. The Squires travel to Rochester on Monday.
MANCHESTER 3, WHITKO 2
Singles:?No. 1 – Bailey Platt (W) def. Luke Donathan (M)?6-3, 2-6 (13-11 tiebreaker); No. 2 – Cory Hersha (W) def. Spence Trick (M) 5-7, 7-5 (10-1 tiebreaker); No. 3 – Logan Parrett (M) def. Nathan Smith (W) 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles: No. 1 – Heath Dierks & Parker Wagoner (M) def. Micah Cokl & Austin Hollowell 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 – Kyle Shepherd & Uria Hein (M) def. Luke Spurlin & Devon Akers (W) 6-0, 6-2.
Records: Whitko 1-9 (0-3 TRC), Manchester 2-6 (1-2 TRC)
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