Tiger Cub tennis grinds out win

Friday, September 12, 2014

The Greencastle tennis team's season has been rolling along nicely. After placing 3rd at the Macy Invitational the Tiger Cubs received their first loss at Northview on Tuesday.

They followed that loss with a 3-2 win at home on a chilly day against North Montgomery.

"At Northview I think that we may have had a little over confidence," GHS coach Kevin Rowe said. "We were playing some great tennis but sometimes until you actually experience that first loss, it is hard to realize you have to keep the practices at 100 percent effort. You've got to keep each point, each game and each play at 100 percent effort. "

Greencastle (5-1) played North Montgomery amid cold and windy condition. The Tiger Cubs stayed hot when No. 1 player Christian Ritchey finished off the chargers with 6-6, 6-4 and 6-6 win.

No. 2 player Jed Fajt battled but lost 4-6, 4-6. No. 3 Jason Ummel won in two matches 6-4 and 6-1.

"I wouldn't say we overlooked (Northview) but at the same time it was a good learning experience," Rowe said. "You can see what that's like and have that feeling on us. I think that really helped us today knowing what its like and knowing you don't want to have that feeling again."

Rowe says the loss inspired the team to give more effort in certain aspects of practice that showed in Thursday's win. In the doubles' No. 1 slot Kaleb Flemming and Jake Mangrum lost an emotional match losing the tie breaker 6-4, 6-7, (7-3), 3-7. Nathan Gobert and Adam Gerard picked up the slack winning 6-2 and 6-3.

The JV even managed to gain a 3-1 win.

The Tiger Cubs are in action at the Braves Invitational Saturday at 9 a.m.

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