Neuqua Valley travels to Benet for a boys tennis matchup. The Redwings celebrate its three seniors, Michael Campione, Ford McDonnell, and Finn McGovern as the Redwings welcome Neuqua Valley for a non-conference battle. A fun tune-up before the DVC and ESCC championship tournaments this weekend. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Neuqua Valley looks sharp in singles play against Benet
The lineups are not how they traditionally look with some singles players competing in doubles and vice versa. At two singles Grant Perry from Benet Academy takes on Anthony Yang from Neuqua Valley.
Yang with the win in the first set 6-3, but Perry battle back in set two. Yang with a return that Perry settles under before rocketing a forehand past the Wildcat to help win set two 6-3.
This matchup heads to a tiebreaker. Yang with a nice forehand into the corner following his server, but Perry hustles and places a great lob over Yang’s head, but Yang tracks it down. Perry then tries to catch the corner, which he does, but Yang gets to it and sends his own lob near the back line. Perry can’t believe that the ball stays in bounds. Anthony Yang wins after an 11-9 tiebreaker to give a team point to Neuqua.
At one singles, the lone freshman on varsity for Benet Academy, Charlie Flavin, takes on Boris Sirotkin from Neuqua Valley. Sirotkin and Anthony Yang have played as a doubles pairing most of the season.
The Wildcat earns a point in the first set with a return that short hops Flavin near the back line, forcing a return into the net.
Flavin serving later in the set as Sirotkin sends back a lob with a lot of backspin. Flavin charges the net with a strong forehand and earns the point as the return from Sirotkin falls short.
The Redwing freshman earns the first team point for his team of the afternoon after delivering an ace. Flavin takes the win in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.
Entertaining battles in the doubles division
Neuqua Valley’s traditional top two singles players are teaming up at three doubles on this day with Evan Yang and Andy Yu taking on Leo Dean and Ethan Campione from Benet.
The Redwings serve in the opening set and earn the point with a solid serve and nice return that splits the court.
The Wildcats serving now in the near court and Andy Yu sends it over. He than sends a line drive forehand down the line that hits the net but lands in play near the back for the point. Neuqua takes set one 6-2.
Benet serving on the far court in the second set. Yu with a sharp return before Evan Yang hops over for a well placed backhand that skips away for the point. The Wildcats take the win in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.
At two doubles one of the Benet seniors, Michael Campione and partner Peter Charuk take on Adi Bansal and Rudy Shen from Neuqua Valley as the Redwings look to keep pace.
Bansal takes the serve on the near court. Campione returns near the back line as Bansal approaches the net. Charuk digs out a return before Bansal delivers the point that deflects off Charuk’s racquet.
After Neuqua takes set one 6-1. Charuk serves in set two. It’s a good one and Campione buries the return with a strong smash for the point to put the Redwings in the hunt.
The Wildcats are able to pull away and hang on in set two. Rudy Shen with an ace that just kisses the line in the corner. Neuqua Valley takes the second set 6-4 to add to the team total.
The Redwings claw back in one doubles
1A state doubles champion Hugh Davis is back for Benet in one doubles, his partner Zach Bobofchak is on the shelf for this one so Patrick Burke moves over from singles to face the strong Neuqua duo of Johnny Mou and Ricky Kim.
Mou with a serve in the far court. Davis sends it back before Kim and Burke send a few hard volleys back and forth. Burke slams home the point with a smash as the Redwings look strong in the first set with a 6-2 win.
Early in the second set, Neuqua gets things going as Ricky Kim jumps in for a quick return for the point.
Later in the set, Kim on the serve and this time it’s Mou who gets the quick smash at the net. The Wildcats are on the verge of forcing a third set up 5-2.
Neuqua Valley takes down Benet boys tennis as the regular season wraps up
But the Redwings dig deep and eventually take a 6-5 lead, Hugh Davis then helps close things out with a wicked return down the line that he hooks inbounds for the point. The Redwings take the one doubles victory 6-2, 7-5 while Neuqua Valley beats Benet tennis as a team by the score of 5-2.
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