Baylor Netters Stop McCallie, 7-0

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For the third straight year, the D-II AA East/Middle Region has a new boys’ tennis team champion and this year it's Baylor.

 

The Red Raiders claimed their first region crown since 2006 with a solid 7-0 win Wednesday against visiting McCallie.

 

Knox. Webb won the region in 2009, but competes this year in D-II A (small school division) and McCallie claimed region titles in 2007 and 2008 on the way to its second and third straight state championships.

 

Today, Baylor swept the three doubles matches for the doubles point and then claimed all six singles matches.

 

In singles, Baylor had straight set wins in order from Alex Cooper (No. 5), Aditja Rali (No. 4), Eric Roddy (No. 6), Michael Goldstein (No.3) and Carlos Cuevas (No. 2) and a three-set triumph for Anderson Scarpa (No. 1).

 

“We played well as a team today and were more mature and stronger than in the first McCallie win (7-0, April 21),’’ said Baylor coach Ned Caswell.

 

Best Match: Baylor’s Anderson Scarpa outlasted Zeeshan Ismail at No. 1 singles, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the marquee match.

 

“Both players were playing with mostly heart in that third set with little left in the tank,’’ Caswell stated. “Anderson has more power and Zeeshan has more speed as it was a match of wills for more than two hours.’’

 

First Set: Ismail gained a service break in the ninth game to go up 5-4 and held serve to win 6-4.

 

Second Set: Scarpa broke Ismail in the second game and sprinted to a 5-0 lead before winning 6-2.

 

Third Set: After two service breaks, Scarpa held serve in the third game for a 2-1, but neither player could hold serve again until Ismail held in the 10th game to even the set at 5-5.

 

Scarva had served for the match at 5-3, but Ismail broke and then held.

 

Ismail fought off two match points serving at 5-6 to force a tie-breaker.

 

Scarpa won the first five points in the tie-breaker, including running down three Ismail returns to win the third point.

 

“There were a lot of service breaks in the match (eight in the third set), but both guys played solid tennis throughout with long rallies with neither player backing down,’’ said McCallie coach Eric Voges.

 

Senior Day: Baylor seniors Aditja Rali and Sean Guerry and their parents were recognized before the match … Rali won at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles, while Guerry won singles and doubles exhibition matches ... Rali will attend Emory or Vanderbilt in the fall, while Guerry will enroll at Covenant College.

 

Baylor 7, McCallie 0

Doubles (worth one team point)

1. Carlos Cuevas-Alex Cooper ( def Bobby Brouner-Zeeshan Ismail, 8-4

2. Michael Goldstein-Anderson Scarpa ( def. Scotty Webb-Logan Yerby, 8-5

3. Zach Moore-Aditja Rali ( def. Daniel Pare-Evan Watkins, 8-5

 

Singles

1. Anderson Scarpa ( def. Zeeshan Ismail, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3)

2. Carlos Cuevas ( def. Bobby Brouner, 6-4, 6-4

3. Michael Goldstein ( def. Logan Yerby, 6-4, 6-2

4. Aditja Rali ( def. Daniel Pare, 6-1, 6-2

5. Alex Cooper ( def. Scotty Webb, 6-0, 6-1

6. Eric Roddy ( def. Evan Watkins, 6-2, 6-3

 

Records: Baylor (11-0, 4-0); McCallie (6-4, 1-2)

Location: Baylor

Time of Match: 3:35

 

D-II Individual Region: May 15-16 (Sat.-Sun.) at McCallie; boys and girls

Top five in singles and doubles advance to the state quarters.

 

State Tournament: Team Semis and Finals; May 25-26

State Singles and Doubles; May 26-27; quarters, semis and finals

 

State Team Quarters: May 20-21

 

Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net