Strong doubles performance aids renewed bid for Ches-Mont American title
Unionville High School boys’ tennis team captain Zeyad Zaki serves. The Indians are off to an 8-0 start for the 2015 season.
Another strong performance from the doubles helped the Indians clear the biggest hurdle for winning back the Ches-Mont American and the overall league title.
Great Valley’s Nikhil Gangoli beat Zeyad Zaki 6-3 and 6-0 at the top of the lineup. Gangoli is currently ranked #177 among nation’s freshmen according to Tennisrecruiting.net and has played several USTA national tournaments. Even though Zaki was able to hit several winners, Gangoli was very quick in retrieving most hard hitting balls from the UHS co-captain. Charlie Swope, who was Patriots’ 1st single last season, defeated Hunter Whitesel, 6-0 and 6-2 with super consistent plays at the 2nd singles. At the 3rd singles, Indians’ Zach Sokoloff came back from a set down to defeat Bagga, 4-6, 6-3, and 6-0. Sokoloff’, playing with shoulder pain, made adjustment of his footwork and his hard grounders started to click in the 3rd set.
Playing together as a team for the first time, Indians’ Matt Daniels and Kyle Colletta were the first doubles team to come off the court at the 4th doubles to put Indians on board. Will Blairs and Daniel Hopping, who are Indians’ regular 4th doubles soon followed their teammates with a straight set victory at the 3rd doubles to tie the team score at 2-2. Champe Fisher and Harris Avgousti put Indians ahead by winning two set tiebreakers at the 2nd doubles.
The 1st doubles was certainly the most exciting and entertaining match to watch. Patriots took the first set 6-4. Sri Garlapati and Atma Bery, two of Indians’ three co-captains fought back with power and determination to take the 3rd set at love and clinched the victory for Indians. Some points were mind blowing. Garlapati hit an in-between leg volley and Bery won a point after falling, losing his racket and one of his tennis shoes!
Indians swept doubles in 7 of their first 8 matches of the season including their 5-2 and 6-1 wins over District 1 playoff teams, Abington and Pennsbury. Led by head coach Sharon Largent, Indians have worked hard on improving their doubles this year.
Indians still need to beat a few tough Ches-Mont teams to win the league title. Downingtown East will visit UHS next Thursday, April 9th. Indians will have to beat Henderson the following Monday, April 13th and then Rustin a day later, April 14th. West Chester East is also a much improved team that Indians will have to play on April 27th.
With the win, Indians are now 8-0 overall (6-0 Ches-Mont), while Patriots fall to 5-1.
Singles: Gangoli (GV) def. Zaki, 6-3, 6-0; Swope (GV) def. Whitesel, 6-0, 6-2; Sokoloff (U) def. Bagga, 4-6. 6-3, 6-0
Doubles: Garlapati-Bery (U) def. Loftus-Ungvary, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; Avgousti-Fisher (U) def. Cohen-Meehan, 7-6, 7-6; Blair-Hopping (U) def. Karigan-McDonald, 6-3, 6-1; Daniels-Coletta (U) def. Kascergis-Rubien, 6-2, 6-1
