For The Tribune
The Seymour boys tennis team dropped a close match 3-2 against Brown County on Tuesday on their home courts.
Owls coach Brad Emerson said it was a tough loss and that the team had opportunities to win but couldn’t execute.
“We have to work on closing the net, volleys and definitely serves,” he said, adding the team gave up too many points to lost serves. “We also need work on our put-away shots.
At No. 1 singles Alex Berry had his second strong performance of the week against the Eagles’ Maverick Patterson as he won 6-0, 6-1.
“(Berry) played a great player who is a lefty and had great down strokes,” Emerson said. “I thought Alex kept his cool most of the match and stayed within himself and made the kid make a lot of unforced errors.”
Ty McCory played his first match in a week, coming off an injury, and lost 6-3, 6-0 to the Eagles’ Cash Myers in No. 2 singles.
“(McCory) played a pretty good, accomplished player,” Emerson said. “He did his best in the first set, but with his heel; I’m sure in the back of his mind he is thinking not to over-do it.”
Adam Berry had another strong outing, defeating the Eagles’ Eli White 6-2, 6-1.
Emerson said Adam continued to play well.
“He’s just been money all year,” he said. “He kept the ball back and made a lot of good points and he just keeps fighting.”
Grant Handloser and Josiah Rudge lost a tough-fought match 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-1, to Brownstown Central’s Hunter Ellis and Zion Bunge.
Handloser and Rudge went up three games in the first set but let Ellis and Bunge work their way back to win. The tandem bounced back quickly in the second set but lost steam in the third set.
Hao Li and Sam Voss never were able to establish a rhythm as they quickly lost their match to the Eagles’ Cole Smith and Jesse Williams 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
The Owls will face Columbus East at home Thursday, and Emerson said the competition will be tough but that he believes if the Owls execute properly they can get a win.
“I’m aware of how good they (Columbus East) are,” he said. “They’re also beatable and when you set out on a court in tennis, anybody can beat anybody.”
The Owls dropped to 2-7 on the season.