BY KEN MORSE
CITIZEN’S NEWS
The Naugatuck boys tennis team is thin in numbers but strong at heart.
Judging by the scores in the matches played, the Hounds are a resilient bunch, sporting a 3-2 record. At No. 1 singles is senior Aidan Lau, who has pushed opponents to the limit. In four matches he has gone to tiebreakers twice, losing to players from Holy Cross (6-3, 2-6, 12-10) and Torrington (6-3, 2-6, 10-8).
“We lost a player to ineligibility and have another player out with an injury,” said Naugatuck coach Stephanie DeLuca. “Our numbers were low as it was. Now we will have to forfeit our third doubles until we get a player ready to step into a varsity role.
“We lost another player who switched to baseball, but I do have a player who is new to the sport and with some practice I’m hoping to get him up to speed. The rest of the lineup is solid with players who can compete.”
Naugy showed that competitiveness in a tough 3-2 setback to Torrington on April 7. Lau lost in a tiebreaker at No. 1 singles, but William Zheng won handily at No. 2 singles (6-2, 6-2). The Hounds showed some of that resilient play when Manase Mutshima (6-3, 4-6, 10-6) battled past a tiebreaker. Brandon Miranda andMelik Yilmaz dropped a tough decision, 7-5, 6-4, and the doubles duo of Brian Barth and Nate Gaites were upended, 6-0, 6-1.
“Our first day of the season we had two tiebreakers,” added DeLuca. “That first one was a very emotional thing for the boys and that really got them going and we were fortunate to come out of there with a ‘W’.”
Naugy got past Kennedy, 4-1, on April 10. Lau earned his first win of the season, 6-3, 7-5. Barth went on to defeat his opponent, 6-4, 6-0. At No. 3 singles, Mutshima earned a win, 6-2, 6-2, giving the Greyhounds the edge heading into the doubles portion of the match.
The duo of Miranda and Yilmaz won, 7-5, 6-1, but second doubles had to be forfeited, giving Kennedy its only win of the match.
The Greyhounds made it two in a row, earning a 3-2 win over Wolcott on April 11. Lau fell by a slim margin, 6-2, 6-4, but Zheng evened the match with a sturdy win, 6-4, 6-0. Naugy went into the doubles portion of the match with a 2-1 advantage after a forfeit by Wolcott at No. 3 singles.
Barth and Mutshima teamed up for a win via tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8. Miranda and Yilmaz were the difference-makers, winning the second doubles in another tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.
“We have some really fantastic players,” said DeLuca. “Coming in my first year as head coach, I didn’t have to teach them how to play, they already knew how. Now we are just working to fine-tune everything.”
“Hopefully along the way we can add to our numbers so we are not taking forfeits or having players do singles and doubles. That would be tough, but to be at 3-2 at this point of the season we feel very fortunate.”
