Greencastle tennis falls to Northview, 3-2

A return of the stifling temperatures of last month couldn't stop the tennis teams from Northview and Greencastle from getting together Tuesday evening. The weather also couldn't stop the No. 1 singles and No. 3 singles matches from going three sets.

Ultimately, the Knights came out with a 3-2 victory, with No. 1 singles player Austin Akers winning the deciding match.

Greencastle's Brennan Burks makes a running return shot in his 6-2, 6-0 win Tuesday over Northview's Brock Lawson.

The Knights got off to a quick start on the Tiger Cubs, with the No. 1 doubles team of Ryne Barr and Matt Nodley winning 6-0, 6-0 over Greencastle's Seth Heithaus and Ty Fauvergue.

However, the Tiger Cubs' Brennan Burks won a quick one over Northview's Brock Lawson 6-2, 6-0, to even the match at 1-1. With the win, Burks bounced back from his first two losses of the season at a tournament on Saturday. He is now 9-2.

"Brennan had another really dominant performance," Greencastle coach Terry Ross said.

The Knights completed the sweep on the doubles side with another two-set victory. Adam Clark and Caleb Mershon defeated Logan Grzesiek and Clay Spencer 6-4, 6-3.

With the Knights leading 2-1, the match came down to the matches at one and three singles. In each match, the GHS player took the opener only to see his Northview opponent take the second set.

At one singles, Northview's Akers and Greencastle's Sam Hirt went back and forth throughout the final set. It finally came down to a tiebreaker.

Akers got off to a 5-0 lead in the tiebreaker, and was able to cruise from there to a 7-5 win. He took the match 1-6, 6-3, 7-6. The win also clinched Northview's team win.

Still elevating in the third set, Greencastle No. 3 singles player Eric Warren delivers a serve against Northview's Clint Reynolds. Warren won 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

With the team results decided, No. 3 singles players Eric Warren and Clint Reynold continued to fight in their third set. Ultimately, Warren regained his form from the first set, taking the match 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

"Eric won a really good three set match against a good player," Ross said.

"I thought we had some really good performances at number two and three singles," he continued. "Those guys played great. We lost a really close one at number one singles. We played pretty well overall."

Greencastle (4-2) travels to North Montgomery at 5 p.m. Thursday.

At Greencastle

Northview 3, Greencastle 2

Singles -- Akers (Nv) def. Hirt (GHS) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Burks (GHS) def. Lawson (Nv) 6-2, 6-0; Warren (GHS) def. Reynolds (GHS) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Doubles -- Barr/Nodley (Nv) def. Heithaus/Fauvergue (GHS) 6-0, 6-0; Clark/Mershon def. Grzesiek/ Spencer (GHS) 6-4, 6-3.

Next match -- The Tiger Cubs travel to North Montgomery at 5 p.m. Thursday.