SEYMOUR – Trinity Lutheran won the deciding point with a three-set win in doubles during a 3-2 win over Bedford North Lawrence in the first round of the IHSAA sectional at Seymour on Wednesday.
The Cougars, who avenged last year’s first-round sectional loss to BNL, swept the doubles while advancing to face Seymour in the semifinal on Thursday, while Jennings County will meet Brownstown in the opposite bracket.
The match hinged on No.2 doubles. Trinity’s William Gausmann and Reed Roeder rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Micah Carter and Wyatt Corbin. Trinity also took No.1 doubles as Nathan Finke and Jonathan Neawedde stopped Orion Hill and Neal Patel 6-1, 7-5.
In singles, the Cougars won at No.1 as Jack Stuckwisch conquered Jackson Corey 6-3, 6-2.
“My guys fought,” BNL coach Ian Dillman said. “They left it all out there on the court. Many of them played their best match tonight.”
BNL won the lower singles. Braxton Fugate clipped Luke Schepman 6-3, 6-2 at No.2, and Reece Goodgame bounced Ross Beavers 6-4, 6-1 at No.3.
“Braxton and Reece played amazing matches,” Dillman said. “They were the only ones to walk away with a win.”
BNL bowed out with a 4-17 record.
“It’s easy to look at all the negatives when you are losing or have lost,” Dillman said. “There were many negatives tonight. It happens when you are the better team in sectionals. People are going to root against you. However, you can’t let those negative thoughts in your head, you have to push them aside and play your game.
“This season has been so hard on all of us, things just didn’t go our way. We lost more than you can count on two hands, that’s not good. I told my guys that it’s up to them to decide how they want next year to go. Many of them will be seniors, their last year playing tennis. We have to start right away if we want to make a change.
“I was pleased with what I saw this season. For only getting to be with these guys for two months, I’d have to hand it to them. They put up with me and my demands for them to keep going and to give me 100 percent. I know they are tired of me saying ‘effort and energy,’ but I’ll keep saying it till the day it clicks for them. The season may be over now but the fight never stops. When your backs are against the wall, that’s when you give it your last hoorah and throw everything at your opponent.
“I’d like to thank our team parents for helping us out and being with us every step of the way. Without them, we wouldn’t have had half the stuff we did this year. They worked behind the scenes to ensure our team was happy and healthy.”
IHSAA SECTIONAL
First round
Trinity Lutheran 3, BNL 2
Singles
1 Jack Stuckwisch, TL d. Jackson Corey 6-3, 6-2
2 Braxton Fugate, BNL d. Luke Schepman 6-3, 6-2
3 Reece Goodgame, BNL d. Ross Beavers 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
1 Nathan Finke and Jonathan Neawedde, TL d. Orion Hill and Neal Patel 6-1, 7-5
2 Willam Gausmann and Reed Roeder, TL d. Micah Carter and Wyatt Corbin 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
