By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Bloomington South, even with the smallest of players, flexed its advantages and firepower while rolling to quick victories over Bedford North Lawrence.
The Panthers (2-0) dropped only five games in five matches while sweeping past the Stars (0-2) on Tuesday afternoon. Paced by diminutive freshman Caleb Lian (who looks about three grades younger, but his big game belies his stature), South pounded its way to a commanding triumph.
Lian stopped Jackson Corey 6-0, 6-0 at No.1 singles, and South swept the doubles by similar scores. BNL shuffled its lineup from the opener on Monday, but that didn’t change the outcome. David Ciucu and Alex Busch bounced Orion Hill and Neal Patel at No.1, while Abe Corey and William Liao cruised past Micah Carter and Laedon Jones at No.2.
“South is a great team, a team that wins sectionals,” BNL coach Ian Dillman said. “There’s isn’t a whole lot you can do when you play a Serena Williams on the court. You have to buckle down and not give up. Regardless of how bad the score is, the fight must not stop.
“We have to stop thinking of us as a weak team and start thinking of us as a strong team. Regardless of the scores, we have to have that mentality or when we step on that court, regardless of who we play, we have already lost the match with that mentality. A winner never steps on their playing field and has decided the match is already over before it’s even over.”
BNL did get on the board in the lower singles. Josh Sang stopped Braxton Fugate 6-2, 6-1 at No.2, and Silas Ellett topped Asher Thompson 6-2, 6-0 at No.3.
“I’m happy with the way we played,” Dillman said. “We still need to slow the match down when it’s not going in our favor, and many guys realized that tonight.”
The Stars will visit Linton on Thursday.
Bloomington South 5, BNL 0
Singles
1 Caleb Lian d. Jackson Corey 6-0, 6-0
2 Josh Sang d. Braxton Fugate 6-2, 6-1
3 Silas Ellett d. Asher Thompson 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1 David Ciucu and Alex Busch d. Neal Patel and Orion Hill 6-0, 6-0
2 Abe Corey and William Laio d. Micah Carter and Laedon Jones 6-0, 6-0
