The boys tennis team came up short against the Aragon Dons with a final score of 4-3 on Tuesday afternoon.
Singles two junior Cole Aylaian was the first player off the court. Despite a series of hard-fought rallies, Aylaian struggled to maintain consistency and lost the first set 6-2. Aylaian was unable to find an answer to his opponent’s continued pressure in the second set, leading to a 6-1 defeat.
Following Aylaian was the doubles one team, consisting of freshman Rafa Kroes and junior Thomas Greenleaf. The Bears utilized steady communication throughout the first set, capitalizing on volleys and fast-paced rallies to secure a 6-4 victory. Even with their opponents’ continued efforts, the Bears refused to ease up, winning the second set 7-5 to take the match.
“I think we played pretty well. We just exploited their weaknesses, made them miss,” Kroes said.
Next off the court was singles one, where senior Liam Baker fell short of victory. After struggling with the pressure and fast pace of his opponent, Baker succumbed 6-1 in the first set. Refusing to back down, Baker was able to initially take the lead in the second set, countering his opponent’s hard hits and maintaining long and exciting rallies, but ultimately came up short, 6-3, in the second set.
“It’s my first time at singles one, so it was a little bit of a new experience,” Baker said. “[I had] heavy feet and not the cleanest form, but a good overall performance.”
Singles four freshman Jack Bekaert was next off the court, taking a crushing 6-2, 6-2 loss. Although he ultimately fell short, Bekaert held his ground throughout the match, forcing his opponent to fight with strong hits and shot selection.
The doubles three team of seniors Raphael Pierres and Connor Bae finished on top. Despite losing the first set 7-5, the Bears maintained their efforts and morale. Through communication and effortless coordination, M-A rolled to a dominant 6-0 win in the second set, leading them to a third-set tiebreaker. Their opponents continued to battle and apply pressure, but Pierres and C. Bae were able to secure a 10-8 victory to take the match.
“We realized that we were just missing a lot and being tight,” Pierres said. “So we tried to play more loose, to be as aggressive but still hit through the ball, and so that’s how it ended up working in the end.”
The doubles two team of sophomores Max Weiss and Yoonwon Bae had a competitive and action-packed match. After losing the first set in a heartbreaking 7-5 and being down at the start of their second set, the Bears refused to let up despite clear frustration and forced their way into a second-set tiebreaker. While their opponents continued to apply pressure, they were ultimately able to persevere, dominating the second set tiebreak 7-2, and winning the third set tiebreak in a narrow 10-8.
Last off the court was singles three junior Lawrence Chao*, with a devastating loss in the third-set tiebreaker. Despite losing the first set, 6-1, Chao was able to push through in the second set, utilizing strong counters and accurate placement to clutch the second set in a 7-5 victory. However, despite Chao’s efforts, his opponent was able to come out on top, leaving with a 10-8 loss.
The Bears will return to the court against San Mateo away on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
*Lawrence Chao is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
