LINWOOD – The Red Raider tennis team won both doubles matches, but the Mustangs swept the singles to remain unbeaten and atop the Cape-Atlantic League American Conference.
Going into Monday’s match, the Mainland Regional and Ocean City teams had not lost a conference match and were 1-2 in the standings. The Red Raiders were sporting a 9-1 overall record and were 6-0 in the conference and division. The Mustangs were at 9-2 with a 7-0 record in the conference and division.
Both teams had run through their CAL opponents.
Monday’s contest was close with two key matches going to three sets and a third requiring a second-set tiebreaker.
At first singles, Mustang Alex Wise edged Red Raider Charles DiCicco 7-6 (7-4) in the first set, lost the second set 6-2, but came back to win the third set 6-2 to take the match.
At second singles, Mainland’s Chris Guillen beat Ocean City’s Chris Ganter 6-1, 7-6 (8-6).
Third singles Saketh Agava beat Red Raider Sawyer Lomax in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
At second doubles, Ocean City’s Tracy Steingard and Colin Bowman also won in straight sets over Kussh Patel and Liam Angelo, 6-1, 6-1.
The hardest-fought match was at first doubles. Mainland’s Ben Rosenberg and Tristan Miller topped Ocean City’s Jackson Barnes and Pat Lonergan 6-4 in the first set, but the Red Raiders won the tie-breaker to take the second set 7-6 (7-1). The Ocean City duo won the third set 7-5 to win their match.
The victory helped Mainland, now 10-2 (8-0), move up from fourth to third in the Power Point rankings in South Jersey Group III. Ocean City, now 9-2 (6-1) had been in the top spot, but the loss moved the Red Raiders to second.
As of the end of Monday, Moorestown had 178 Power Points, Ocean City was second with 171 and Mainland was third with 170.
For the rest of their CAL schedules, both teams are facing teams they defeated earlier this season. Ocean City and Mainland will have their rematch at 4 p.m. May 19 in Ocean City.
Photos and Story by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff