Benet Academy hosts one of the eight 2A boys tennis sectional meets with teams like Naperville North, Naperville Central, Metea Valley and the host Redwings battling for state qualification. We pick things up on day two where everyone competing has already punched their tickets to state. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Naperville North and Metea Valley battle in third place doubles
Aarush Bhardwaj and Aaron Yang from Naperville North take on Royce Lalani and Carter Donnelly from Metea Valley in the third place doubles match. In the first set, Donnelly the freshman sends a forehand return just out of reach to earn the point.
Later in the opening set, Yang with a big overhand serve. Bhardwaj jumps to his right for the return from Donnelly. He than waits and slams down a big smash that bounces to the back fence. The Huskies take the first set 6-3.
Bhardwaj serves in the far court in set two. Donnelly sends the ball back into the corner and Bhardwaj has to lunge and lob the ball over. Lalani eagerly waits by the net and slams down the point for the Mustangs.
North looks to put things away in set two on the Donnelly serve. Yang plays at the net and exchanges several quick volleys with both Mustangs. After Lalani pops up a backhand, Bhardwaj drops back slams down a smash for the point. North takes third place 6-3, 6-4 with the Mustangs in fourth.
Naperville North takes the top two spots in singles
The third place matchup in singles features Metea Valley senior Mihir Arya and Naperville Central sophomore Jason Cheng. Both will be making their state singles debuts as they battle for bronze in the sectional.
Cheng serves in the far court as Arya pops a return over. Cheng uses an underhand before Arya backhands a shot right on the line. The Mustang wins the first set 6-1.
Early in the second set on another Cheng serve, each player sends multiple slow volleys in search of an edge. Arya lobs a return way to the back and heads towards the net to await the return. But Cheng sends a lob perfectly placed over the head of Arya for the point.
In the end, Arya is able to use his veteran experience to overpower the Redhawk, taking the win with a pair of nice backhands to snag the second set 6-4 and the third place medal.
Arya initially fell to Yanson Lew from Naperville North in the singles semifinals while Cheng was defeated by Ritvik Korrapati from Naperville North, making it an all Huskie singles sectional final. The teammates decide to forgo the championship match and risk injury with state on the horizon as Korrapati takes first place as the top overall seed.
The doubles championship goes into three sets
The doubles championship features Metea’s top duo Rish Railkar and Ameya Tyagi against Benet Academy’s Hugh Davis and Charlie Flavin. Davis and Flavin took care of Lalani and Donnelly in the semis while Railkar and Tyagi defeated Yang and Bhardwaj. Davis and Flavin have defeated their Metea counterparts twice already this season.
In a tightly contested first set, the Mustangs take it 7-5 after a return from Tyagi and a smash down the middle from Railkar playing near the net.
In the second set, the Redwings are not going down without a fight. Flavin with a nice return followed by a pop up backhand from Railkar. Davis recovers and sends a long lob to the back. Railkar then sends a lob of his own but it floats right to Davis who pounds the ball down for the point. Benet forces a third set after a 6-3 second set win.
In the third set, Railkar sends a serve over from the near court. Tyagi looks to earn the point with a big smash, but somehow Davis scrambles back and sends the ball back over. Tyagi then slices a shot back to the left, but Flavin rushes over and gets back to back returns over the net. Flavin and Railkar then volley until the Mustangs hit the net. The Redwings survive the point and take a 4-1 lead in set three.
Benet hopes to take the final set with Davis serving in the near court. The Mustangs flip the script, recovering to send back a strong smash from Flavin. Eventually Tyagi uses a drop shot that hits the court for a second time just before Davis can get to the ball. Metea wins four straight games to take a 5-4 lead.
Railkar serves for match point for the Mustangs. Flavin has the initial return which Railkar sends back. Davis tries to cut the ball off with a backhand but it falls short of the net. Metea Valley wins first place in one doubles in a three-set thriller. Naperville North boys tennis is the Benet Academy sectional champion just ahead of Metea Valley behind the strong singles performance. Naperville Central finishes in third with state getting underway later in the week.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
