Rain clouds helped extend the Warsaw Tigers' first boys tennis match of the season an extra day.
With four of the five matches in the books, Warsaw and the Penn Kingsmen are currently tied at 2-2. Forboding clouds forced the Tiger Courts to be cleared Monday, leaving the No. 2 singles match between Warsaw's Bryce Scott and Penn's Karter Kistler for today at 4:30 p.m."It's tough, but Bryce is up for it," Warsaw coach Rick Orban said.
After losing the opening set 6-4 to Kistler, Scott bounced back in the second, taking it 6-3. Following a quick break between the second and third sets, Scott jumped out 1-0 on Kistler, then took a 40-30 lead on the second point, with Kistler serving.
"Hopefully they'll come back tomorrow, and the weather cooperates, and he'll win that second point and take the momentum," Orban said.
If Scott is able to take that momentum, and ultimately the match, Warsaw will have its first-ever win over Penn.
"It would be an incredible way to start the season," Orban said. "We've never beaten Penn, and they have a good team."
On the other singles courts, Penn's Andy Hansen and Brian Hickman had little trouble at 1 and 3, respectively.
Hansen, who had his season end at the state tournament last year to Warsaw's Deon Shafer, defeated the Tigers' new No. 1 player, Will Coen, 6-1, 6-3.
At No. 3 singles, Anderson fell victim to a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Hickman.
"We're deep this year," Orban said. "We really, truly are. We don't have any great superstars. Will Coen is very good at 1 singles. Will Anderson, this is his first varsity start. I was making the lineup out as Penn was pulling into the parking lot. That's just how deep we are. I just didn't know who to play where."
Giving the Tigers a reason to believe they could win was a 6-4, 6-3 win by the No. 1 doubles team of Andrew Cutshall and Shawn Carmichael, as well as a 6-2, 6-4 win by Richard Feng and Keaton Joyner at No. 2 doubles.
"The doubles teams have meshed," Orban said.
Without a superstar, but with depth, Orban may be learning as much about his team as anyone as the season progresses.
"No one really knows this team," he said. "The kids are great. They're confident. If we do win this match, it's going to go a along way towards the season."
Penn will be back in town today, but if rain should strike again, the decisive match will just continue to be moved until it can be played.
With the parking lot already empty at the Tiger Courts, Orban mentioned the match probably wouldn't be moved indoors, as the elements would be too different, and his team would have a much greater home-court advantage.
WARSAW 2, PENN 2
(Match Suspended)
Singles: No. 1 - Andy Hansen (P) def. Will Coen 6-1, 6-3; No. 2 - Bryce Scott (W) leads Karter Kistler 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (played suspended); No. 3 - Brian Hickman (P) def. Will Anderson 6-0, 6-1
