15 April 2014

Boys Tennis: In the win column

Bennett Lagro rallied for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles
The Tigers rebounded from a tough loss to Park last Friday with an exciting 4-3 non-conference victory Monday afternoon at Prior Lake.

Farmington's first win in three tries this spring didn't come easily, however. The match was played in miserably cold and windy conditions and six of the seven match-ups went three sets.

"The conditions were very difficult  with temperatures in the low 30's with a strong consistent wind," Tiger coach Jack Olwell said.

"On top of that our teams were almost perfectly evenly matched. In 35 years of coaching I have never had a match that had even five three-setters let alone the six matches that went the distance today."

The one match that's outcome was never in doubt came at third singles where Ivan Rodriguez won with ease 6-1, 6-1. The rest were nail-biters.

Bennett Lagro and Jon Zakoski won at first and third singles with both rallying after losing the first set. Lagro won 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 and Zakoski prevailed 3-6, 6-4, 6-0.

"Bennett played an excellent second and third set, forcing his opponent into a number of errors while playing relatively clean tennis in miserable conditions," Olwell said.

"Jon arrived at the correct strategy but waited until midway through the second set to do it. He demonstrated again that tennis rewards the smart player, particularly if he is fit."

The other Tiger point came at third doubles where the tandem of Cooper Erickson and Gavin Renwick scored  a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 triumph.

"Their shot-making at the end was the difference," Olwell said.

Jake Bauer played well in a losing 6-4, 2-6, 1-6 effort at second singles. The first doubles team of Austin Tremmel and Trent Kortenbusch fell 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 and the second tandem of Jake Spindler and Garrett Brown lost 3-6, 4-6, 6-7 (5).

The Tigers open their Missota Conference dual meet season Tuesday with a road match at Northfield.