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(NewsDakota.com) The Hi-Liner Tennis team was in Jamestown Thursday taking on the Jamestown Blue Jays. Despite a strong effort from Valley City, Jamestown prevailed on the day with a 7-2 victory.
Dalton Ondracek helped pick up the Hi-Liners two wins by defeating Eric Deboer in straight sets (7-6, 6-1). His second win came along side teammate Brandon Miller in a 6-2, 7-5 two set win over the number one doubles team for the Jays.
Below are the Results from the Hi-Liners meet with the Jays and coach Matthew Neilson’s thoughts:
VC 2 JHS 7
Singles:
#1 Dalton Ondracek beat Eric Deboer 7-6(4), 6-1
#2 Brandon Miller lost to Nate Soulis 6-1, 6-4
#3 Sam Jenson lost to Jake Reuther 6-2, 6-1
#4 Evan Haglund lost to Tanner Lunzman 6-0, 6-0
#5 Riley Miller lost to Ben Harris 6-0, 6-3
#6 Collin White lost to Nick Stockert 6-1, 6-1
Doubles:
#1 Ondracek/B.Miller beat Deboer/Harris 6-2, 7-5
#2 Jenson/R.Miller lost to Soulis/Reuther 7-6(6), 6-0
#3 White/Hunter Burchill lost to Lunzman/Stockert 6-0, 6-2
Thoughts:
We have three new players to tennis this year that are playing varsity, Riley Miller, Collin White, and Hunter Burchill. Each match, these three play their best match to date. I’m impressed with all three’s attitudes, coachability, and belief that they can win the next point. Keep it up!
Hunter Burchill waits for a serve
Sam and Riley had a great match at #2 doubles and had at set point at 6-5 in the first set tiebreaker. On that set point, the Jamestown player miss-hit a ball and was sailing like it was going wide. It dropped and caught the outside of the line. Without hesitating, Sam looked at the Jamestown team and very sportingly told them ‘nice shot.’ This was an instance of an extremely high level of sportsmanship. Not only did same make the call with high integrity, but he also genuinely complimented the other team on a nice shot. I have never been prouder of sportsmanship of a teammember than that moment.
After Evan played his varsity match, he also played 6 JV sets, getting a lot of tennis in. He didn’t care he was a varsity player playing JV matches. He just wanted to play more tennis, more opponents, more sets. He believes getting better at tennis means playing more tennis and he showed that drive tonight. Great job Evan.
Brandon had a rough start to singles, going down a set and 5-1 in the second. Brandon flipped a switch and started a comeback that fell just short. He worked the score to 5-4 before losing the match 6-4. If he would have won that last game, he would have leveled the set at 5 all and then its anybody’s game. We have to figure out how to flip Brandon’s switch before being in the hole a set and four games now.
Dalton had a very tight first set, winning it in the tiebreaker. I gave the same advice to Dalton as I did Destiny Winkler, an All-EDC girls tennis player who took 2nd in EDC doubles. ‘Stop thinking. Watch the fuzz on the ball. Stop thinking.’ Dalton was pushing his shots and guiding them instead of hitting them. He took my advice and rolled his opponent 6-1 in the second set, not pushing a shot or being tentative at all.
In double, Dalton and Brandon played their best doubles match of their lives. They attacked the net, poached, worked as a team, followed the 3 pillars to a T, and played the smart shot. The best part was that both were always looking to come to net – second serves, short balls, serve and volleys – they were at the net putting the pressure on and it worked. It was Dalton’s first win at #1 singles and both’s first win at #1 doubles.
Next action is Wahpeton at home at 4pm. This is a big match as the winner has a shot to either host the play-in match or be out of the play-in match all together while the loser probably will be traveling for the play-in match to make it to regionals.