Boys tennis team loses openers

The boys’ tennis squad lost both their opening matches this past week, a 0-8 loss at home against Crook County (CC) on Monday, March 11, and two days later a 1-8 loss at Mt. View.

On Monday, the Outlaws played in cool weather on damp courts at home against CC. For many of the players it was the first time they had played against an opponent in a real match.

Sisters No. 1 singles (Dominic Pulver) and No. 2 singles (Jude Parzybok) both played fairly well against their opponents, but not well enough to post a win. Pulver struggled with consistency on his serve and fell 4-6, 4-6, to Jamie Acura. Parzybok faced a tough opponent in Victor Covarrubias and lost the match 1-6, 3-6. Parzybok did come back in the second set with a strong serve but just couldn’t quite pull off a win.

Coach Vince Grace told The Nugget that most of the Outlaws struggled with their serves, but is confident that they will quickly improve as the season progresses.

Of the day, Grace said, “Smiles and attitudes were contagious. Everyone played for fun, everyone got to hit, everyone learned a little more about themselves, and so that was a win for our team.”

Two days later the Outlaws fell 1-3 to Mt. View.

Parzybok was the lone winner for the Outlaws and he dominated play in his 6-0, 6-1, win over Noah Kronberg.

Grace said, “Jude played a smart defensive game today. His strategy of consistently getting the ball back over the net and letting his opponent make the mistakes paid off for him with a very solid win.”

Jack Murray and Finn Stancliff both played in games that were down to the wire, but in the end they came up short.

Grace told The Nugget that Murray and Stancliff had nail-biter matches. They were close to having really good serves, but not consistent enough to win the games they were hoping for. Their ground strokes were very good and Grace stated that both are strong up-and-coming players.

Grace commented on his team overall:

“We are just now starting to play the game on a real tennis court, under real conditions. The team is improving every day, as we work on the repetition of ground strokes, volleys, overhead smashes, serves, and returns.

“Tennis isn’t just about technique,” added Grace. “It’s about grit, sportsmanship, and the joy of chasing a fuzzy yellow ball. So, as a newer up-and-coming team, whether we win or lose, we play with passion. And, when we shake our opponents’ hands, we know that we just shared something meaningful.”