After losing a tough match against Lee Williams High School the previous day, the Mingus Union High School boys tennis team suffered a heavier defeat when it hosted Prescott High School on March 8.
The Marauders [1-4] lost 9-0 to Prescott after losing 5-4 to Lee Williams, the latter of the two slipping from their grasp after having the upper hand.
“Out of all of the matches I’ve ever coached, that [against Lee Williams] was the most disappointing loss in high school I’ve ever had,” Mingus head coach Larry Lineberry said. “Because we should’ve won that match easily and we lost.”
Against the Volunteers, the No. 1 doubles pairing, senior Alex Flannery and junior Caleb Wiley, was up 7-2, but lost in a tiebreaker 11-9. The No. 2 doubles team of junior Nick Ruggiero and sophomore Brigham Peterson, was up 5-2 and lost 8-5.
In the singles matches, junior first-year player Prince Setsaegnsri remained undefeated, winning 6-1, 6-2. Flannery won by an identical score and Wiley won a 10-point tiebreaker, 10-8, to seal his victory: 6-2, 6-4, 10-8.
Despite having a new, inexperienced team compared to 2016, the players are developing with each match, according to Lineberry.
“They’re a little more consistent off the ground,” Lineberry said. “They’re better at movement and their positioning on the court.”
But consistency during each point is something he looks for the Marauders to improve upon.
“We have to get to stay in the point longer than we are now, then the other person can make an error,” Lineberry said. “At this point we’re not giving them enough chances to make errors.”
Setsaegnsri and freshman John Valentine were also undefeated until their match against Prescott, losing 8-1. The No. 1 and No. 2 doubles pairings both lost 8-2.
In the singles matches against the Badgers, Flannery lost 6-0, 6-0. Wiley lost 6-1, 6-2, same as Ruggiero.
“I think I did good for improving my game,” Wiley said. “But I definitely have things to work on. I’m better on in-game assessment and was able to fix those mistakes quicker.”
Peterson lost 6-0, 6-2, and junior Crue Taylor won five total games, but lost the match 6-4, 6-1.
Setsaegnrsi retired due to injury during his first set, which he was losing 5-2.
Mingus lost 8-1 to Dysart High School in its third match in three days on Thursday, March 9.
