By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Granted a two-match headstart, Bedford North Lawrence needed a single victory in singles to win its season opener. Asher Thompson rose to the occasion.
Thompson rolled to a straight-set triumph at No.3 singles as the Stars edged Northeast Dubois 3-2 on Monday afternoon. The short-handed Jeeps failed to field any doubles teams, giving BNL a definite edge. With the spotlight on the singles courts, Thompson rolled to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Abraham Lueken to secure the necessary point.
“Asher still played timid at times, but when he finally got out in front with the score, he was swinging on the ball,” BNL coach Ian Dillman said. “That’s the type of playing style we need from the start of the match, being aggressive and forcing your opponent to hit off balance.”
The Jeeps won the top two singles as Carson Beck clipped Jackson Corey 6-3, 6-1 at No.1. Elijah Butler bounced Wyatt Corbin 6-0, 6-1 at No.2.
”There were a few points on all courts that we messed up on, that we shouldn’t have, like overheads and shot placement when we come into the net, but they slowly worked themselves out through the match,” Dillman said. “Jackson played some of his best against a great opponent. He wasn’t trying to kill every shot, instead he drew the rally out more, forcing his guy to think he had to go bigger and for more on his shots.
“Wyatt has been unlucky since our scrimmage. He’s been dealing with some back issues and then today scrapped his knee. You could tell he was battling more than just his opponent out there.”
Starting the season with a win was a boost for a program that won only four matches last year.
“That’s how I like to start off,” Dillman said. “It’s a better sign for us. I know I’m going to be looking back at last season and seeing the improvement. You could tell it out there for singles. Last year the game was there but their execution wasn’t. Today wasn’t the case.
”I’m proud of the way we played because there was a lot riding on this match. We were already up 2-0, first match, and wanting to be better than last year. These guys held their nerves on the courts and they had their teammates cheering them on the sidelines. We worked on pressure points all summer and our hard work is paying off. We can’t let off the gas pedal now.”
The Stars will visit Bloomington South on Tuesday.
BNL 3, Northeast Dubois 2
Singles
1 Carson Beck, NED d. Jackson Corey 6-3, 6-1
2 Elijah Butler, NED d. Wyatt Corbin 6-0, 6-1
3 Asher Thompson, BNL d. Abraham Lueken 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1 BNL won by forfeit
2 BNL won by forfeit
