It
was somewhat of a rough seven days for the Wilmington High boys tennis
team last week. The Wildcats went 1-2 on the week, with both of their
losses coming by scored of 3-2. The 1-2 mark for the week left the Wildcats
with a 4-6 overall record and facing somewhat of an uphill climb if they
hope to achieve a .500 record and qualify for the state tournament.
Things started very well for the Wildcats last Tuesday afternoon they
earned an impressive 3-2 win over Newburyport. At the time, the win evened
their record at 4-4 and things were looking up for the Wildcats, who had
won two straight matches at that point.
“The Newburyport win was real nice at the time, because they are always
a very tough team and they were very tough on us last year,” said coach
Matt Hackett. “It really gave us a boost as far as the state tournament
as concerned at the time, and also we are playing them later in the year
so it was a nice confidence builder or us.”
But things quickly turned against the Wildcats in their next match, on
Wednesday against Pentucket. Once again the team gave an outstanding effort,
but this time they found themselves on the opposite end of the 3-2 final.
Winners for the Wildcats in the match were first singles Derek Trueira
in first singles by a score of 6-0, 7-5 and Chris Ng in third singles
by a score of 6-6, 6-2. Trueira has been outstanding all season and in
years past for the Wildcats, but Ng has really come on as of late.
“Chris is getting more confidence and that is making him just play that
much better,” Hackett said. “He came up to me at the start of the season
and was wondering what to do to be a success, and I told him just play
your game and have confidence in yourself. He is doing that and it is
paying off.”
Second singles Lou Auciello lost a tough match by a score of 7-5, 6-0,
struggling to bounce back after a very emotional first set loss, while
the first doubles team of Brandon Kelly and Dan Chalmers dropped a 6-3,
6-4 decision and the second double team of Brian Garrett and Joe Costello
fell by a score of 6-4, 6-0.
Any loss is hard to take, but this one hit Hackett and the Wildcats especially
hard.
“The Pentucket loss was particularly tough to swallow because we played
well, but we just went up against a strong team,” Hackett said. “The kids
gave it their best.”
The next day the Wildcats suffered an equally frustrating loss to North
Reading. Earlier this season, the Wildcats lost to North Reading by a
score of 5-0 in a match where they did not play very well, and they had
been pointing to this rematch as a chance at redemption. They may not
have gotten it on the scoreboard, but Hackett saw it in the way they played.
"We were very close," Hackett said. "It was a very tough match and it
could have gone either way, but I was very proud of how the kids played."
Winners for the Wildcats were Trueira by a score of of 7-6 (7-3), 6-3,
along with Garrett and Costello in second doubles by a score of 6-4, 6-4.
Hackett was very pleased to see his doubles team come away with the win.
"I was really happy for those guys because it was their first big win
of the year," Hackett said. "They played good, solid. fundamental doubles
tennis. I was happy to see them pull out that second set and avoid a third."
Trueira's win may have been his most impressvie of the regular season.
Taking on Matt Finn, one of the top players in the Cape Ann League, Trueria
came up with a huge effort to earn the win. He had battled Finn very hard
the last time the two teams met, but the UConn bound Finn had pulled out
the win. This time it was Trueira who came out on top.
"That was a real nice win for Derek," Hackett said. "Finn is one ofthe
best kids I have seen, but I have seen Derek really step things since
his first match with him. Derek was very proud of himslef and he deserved
to be."
And Hackett is very proud of his entire team. Although qulifying for the
tournament may be more difficult now, it does not diminsh Hackett's thoughts
of his team in any way.
"As much as the ultimate goal is to win, as it should be, our other goal
is to have fun and improve," Hackett said. "And that is definitely something
I am seeing. You have to focus on wins, but the other things are very
important as well. I don't want the kids to forget that."
©
Tewksbury/Wilmington Town Crier, 2004