Doubles...love or hate the 9 point system it can determine the outcome of the match. Valuing a pro-set of doubles the same as a full 2 out of 3 set singles match doesn't make a lot of sense. With a pro-set there is no chance to reset the match by starting a new set. No chance to recoup and/or regroup if things go poorly. Also all the doubles matches tend to crescendo at the same time. Yesterday our match completed turned within a few minutes. At one point I felt we might go up 3-0 after the doubles. At #2 doubles Jeff/ET were serving for their match at 7-6. At #1 doubles Andrew/Conor had broken the LCSC team to even the match at 5-5. And at #3 doubles we were up two breaks. And right when things are looking at their best everything collapses.
From the far bank of courts (the LCSC tennis center has 2 banks of 2 courts arranged in square) there is a loud eruption and it is clear something bad for us happened at #3 doubles. At 3-2 serving LCSC breaks after a long 10 duece game to even their match and completely steals the match's momentum. At #1 doubles Andrew/Conor play a sloppy serving game after breaking to even out their match at 5-5. And at #2 doubles we are serving 7-6 30-15 and we play an out ball that would of given us 2 match points. The LCSC team starts to play inspired tennis and doesn't drop another game.
The match proved to be a good lesson about the fragile nature of doubles. The momentum in pro-sets can quickly change. After being even or up in the doubles we end losing all three -- #1 doubles lost 6-8, #2 doubles lost 7-9 and #3 doubles lost 4-8.
I have enough seniors on the team that they realize the situation. Getting swept in doubles means a huge hurdle to overcome. While winning 5 out of 6 singles matches between two equal teams can happen it takes a monster effort and a bit of luck.
I have to say that I'm proud of the effort the team. It would of been easy for everyone to hang their heads and simply go through the motion of playing out the match. Instead the Missionaries battled tooth and nail for every match. We ended up taking the top 3 singles matches in dramatic fashion. At #1 singles Conor is in a slugfest playing a talented freshman from Germany. Conor takes the 1st set 7-6 and has a couple match points at 5-4 in the 2nd against the Germans serve. Saving the match points on his serve inspires the young German who takes the 2nd set 7-5. However the 3rd set was all Conor as he pushed through to a 7-6, 5-7, 6-0 victory. At #2 singles Andrew had one heck of a battle. He dropped the 1st set in a tight tiebreaker and quickly went down 0-4. After he holds at 1-4 we have a talk about keeping his energy up and staying positive for himself and to help get Conor through his difficult match. In a team match their are few things tougher than being on the court next to a teammate who is getting rolled. Andrew totally rises to the occasion winning six games in a row to take the 2nd set 6-4. In the 3rd set Andrew again goes down a break but rallies to win 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. What a gutsy performance from the freshman. At #3 singles ET is locked in an incredibly long battle. In fact, on the court next to him Jeff had lost at #4 singles 6-4, 7-5 AND Chris had lost 6-2, 6-4 at #5 when ET was only part way through his third set! ET's match featured long, punishing points on the slow courts gritty courts. ET was pounding his forehand for all his worth and the LCSC player was playing like the match was on the slow red clay of the French Open -- retrieving every ball forcing ET to hit a bigger and better shot. At 4-4 ET earns the break giving him the opportunity to serve for the match. However at this point he is now cramping in his hand, right arm, both legs, and stomach. It was hard to watch him try to finish his match while in pain. It took him 4 match points but in the end ET was able to gut out the match. If one ever need proof of why I call ET "The Lion" this was it -- I swear, sometimes I think his heart is too big for his body. Last match on was Sam who didn't play his best tennis in a losing 6-2, 6-4 effort at #6.
Even though we lost 3-6 this was a great match for us. We had great intensity, effort and competitive fire throughout the match. It was also good to play a very competitive match in front of a large partisan crowd. Lastly I must say we had our hands full with a very talented LCSC squad. They really have 6 players who can play #1 on any given day. In fact their #6 player during our match played #1 for the Warriors three years ago.
We start conference play this weekend with 3 tough matches in 2 days -- Sunday we have a double header with the improved squads of Pacific and George Fox and on Monday we play Willamette.
I recently purchased a nice camera and am in the process of learning how to take good sports pictures. Below are a few pictures of Etienne's of the closing minutes of ET's singles match. If they don't come through the email check out my Flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/77626588@N00/?saved=1
Also I have been putting many pictures up on Facebook.
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