The Arlington boys tennis team put up quite a fight in their rescheduled match with Marysville-Pilchuck on Oct. 12. They came up just short, losing 4-3 at Marysville.
The original tennis match was scheduled for Arlington High School on Oct. 11 but due to poor conditions was moved to the following day. Marysville could not obtain transportation up to Arlington so the Eagles played their second match of the season at Marysville.
No. 1 singles player Jacob Aylesworth came back from a first set loss to win in three sets. Aylesworth produced some quality winners and had his Marysville opponent running all over the court. In particular, his net game was working for him and made a big difference in the later sets. After winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Aylesworth was noticeably pleased.
The shots were good today, he said. I was able to set things up and get some easier put-aways. I think in the first set I was cold but once I got warmed up I started playing a lot better.
At No. 2 singles Garrett Meyer had a rough day, losing in straight sets. He looked off his normally consistent game and afterwards was not pleased with his performance.
I was beating myself down mentally out there, said Meyer. I couldnt hit right today and my mental game went right out the window.
Meyer will move over to team with Aylesworth for doubles as districts approach. The two stand a good shot to do serious damage in the all-Wesco matches.
Joining them as a doubles team will be Max Morin and Will Heath, who lost a tough three set grinder to a pair of questionable characters.
Heath and Morin were the recipients of very unforgiving line calls all afternoon, although they still had a chance to win in the third set trailing only 3-4. A combination of frustration and badly timed service errors was their undoing.
No. 3 doubles Collin Johnson and Ari Fernando cruised to a straight set victory, easily outpacing their counterparts 6-3, 6-1.
It was pretty casual, said Fernando, we hit a lot of winners.
It wasnt hard at all today, said Johnson. We made a couple of mistakes but there were no major problems.
Coach Ben Mendro watched the last singles matches of the day wrap up with the overall match tally at stake. In No. 4 singles, Colby Boulton showed off some impressive overhead smashes to overtake his opponent in a third set tie-breaker. But Boultons performance was not enough to put Arlington over the top and the key match of the day was Eric McElroys loss in No. 3 singles. The consistent McElroy was done in by the power of his Marysville opponent and lost in straight sets.
We should have won down here earlier this year, said Mendro. I hate having to come back for this match when it should have been played in Arlington.
The Eagles nearly spoiled the Tomahawks day, but missed out on their opportunity to add to this already historic Arlington tennis season.
The team plays next at the Crossover at Jackson & Harbor Square on Oct. 18.