Vikings get down, come back
Every match and just about every set mattered when rival teams got together for a key Western Sun Conference dual Thursday afternoon in Batavia.
Geneva slipped away with a 4-3 win over Batavia by winning three matches in which the Vikings dropped the opening set.
"That's not something you want to see as a coach, but when we won most of the second sets I felt that we had the momentum," Geneva coach Doug Ross said. "The guys have been clicking, and I felt really good about today."
Though the Bulldogs won the No. 1 singles and top two doubles matches, the Vikings (6-2, 1-1) cashed in on their talent throughout the lineup by taking the rest.
"I felt coming into this season that depth would play a role in these tight matches," Ross said.
Geneva's unlikely come from behind wins started when David Ta's beat Alex Haizman, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5, at No. 2 singles by overcoming deficits in the second and third sets, and continued as Richie Michaels and Robby Parker bounced back to take the No. 3 doubles match over Mike Collins and Adam Yingst, 0-6, 7-2, 7-5.
"I have a lot of respect for someone who gets whooped in the first set and comes back to win the match," Batavia coach Bob Kummer said. "I saw a lot of that today, unfortunately it wasn't my team that was doing it."
After Geneva seniors Joey Rasich and Neil Hogan won a tight two-setter against Tyler Mabry and Ethan Carlson at fourth doubles, 7-5, 7-5, tying up the dual at 3-3, all attention turned to the third singles match between Geneva freshman Collin Rapp and Batavia's Mike Cordes.
"The way Colin creates points and goes for shots is nice to see for a freshman," Ross said.
Rapp showed the poise that is usually reserved for older players, coming back to win the last three points and the match, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, giving the Vikings the decisive edge in the team competition.
"I expected it to be tough and a challenge," Rapp said. "I just had to stay focused on my game."
The high level of disappointment on the Batavia side did not diminish the Bulldogs' three impressive wins.
Jordan Broadway got off to a fast start and beat Chris Fowler, 6-3 in the first set of the No. 1 singles match, then fought off a fierce effort to win the second, 7-6 (8-6).
"I thought the second set would be easier," Broadway said. "I was glad to get away without it going to a third set."
For Broadway, a senior playing in his fourth and final dual against Geneva, the rivalry has lost some of its luster.
"Last year I knew a lot of the people we were playing against, and that was more fun," Broadway said. "This felt more like just another conference match."
Jim White and Colin Bohr made fast work of Pat Coveney and Wes Kappel in the top doubles match, 6-1, 6-2.
Shane Svitak and Drew Slack bounced back from a tough second set against Greg Adelman and Mike Fellicelli, to win, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 at No. 2 doubles, but it wasn't enough to save the Bulldogs (5-3, 1-1) from a loss Kummer won't soon forget.
"I'm really disappointed that we couldn't close matches out," Kummer said. "We needed this win for conference, and maybe it will get us working a little harder."