Spring Break Trip-recap

I apologize for falling behind with my match recaps. Our spring break trip is always one of the highlights of the year. Once again, we ventured out to LA for the Stag-Hen tournament held in Claremont, CA. One of the great highlights of the trip was taking the team out to Indian Wells. We were fortunate to watch the Bryan brothers play doubles.

Match #1: Azusa-Pacific

Every time we head to LA, we always play APU before we enter the Stag-Hen tournament. APU is always a very tough test for us, and since I have been here, we have only beaten them once. APU is currently the 10 ranked team in Division 2.
Since Indoors we made some lineup changes in doubles:
1. Ruderman/Wagner
2. English/Isaacs
3. Brandon Lee/Halpern

Rocco English and Brandon Lee were 2 new additions to our lineup. Rocco possesses the biggest serve on the team and Brandon is a natural doubles player with great instincts. Our hope was that this new lineup and the work we put in the last couple of weeks would give us a boost. (side note-Azusa match was our first outdoor match of the season, which has never happened, tells you crazy our weather has been this year in Atlanta)

We got off to a very good start in doubles. Wag and Rud won a big match playing against a very good team. We struggled a bit at 2 doubles, but we were in the match, unfortunately, we lost 8-6. Lee and Halpern played a great match at 3 doubles. It was the best doubles I had seen Halpern play since he's been here, and Brandon, was a rock. We were up 2-1 after doubles against a good team.

I knew going into singles we were going to have an uphill battle even with a 2-1 lead. We got off to a fairly good start. Wag, Nick, and Halp, each one their first sets. Rud, had a stern test a 1 singles and lost the first set. Rafe and Will both dropped the first sets at 3 and 5 singles. So, we needed to secure wins 2,4 and 5. As the match progressed, Rud, who has become a great competitor, won the 2nd set. Unfortunately, we dropped the 2nd sets at 2 and 4. Rafe and Will ended up losing, so now the match was tied 2-2.

Wagner played a great match and beat a very good player in straight sets. We had 3 matches left on the court playing the final set. Rud lost in 6-2 in the 3rd, but I was so proud of the way he competed after not being to find his rhythm in first set, he never gave in and battled the entire match. Halp was close to playing some of his best tennis but the heat and long points took their toll and he ended up losing 3 in the 3rd.  Nick battled the entire 3rd set and lost a heartbreaking match 7-5 in the 3rd.

A loss is a loss, but this was definitely the best match we played as a team.