COLUMBUS – Bedford North Lawrence advanced to the consolation final of the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament with a 3-2 victory over Columbus East during boys high school tennis action on Thursday.
The Stars (8-9) ended a four-match skid and conquered the Olympians for the second time this season. BNL posted an identical 3-2 win, prevailing on the same courts, over East on Aug. 25.
BNL swept the doubles and added a victory by Jackson Corey at No.1 singles.
In doubles, Orion Hill and Micah Carter conquered Micah Wettschurack and Michael Reed 6-3, 6-3 at No.1. Neal Patel and Braxton Fugate rolled past Carson Hartsook and Cooper Harry 6-1, 6-2 at No.2. Corey cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Trevor Ernst.
“With doubles, I’m happy to have them on this team because I never had to say anything to them during their match except congratulate them on their shots,” BNL coach Ian Dillman said. “Jackson played a great match, had his first-ever 6-0 in a set. That’s impressive. He’s finally stepping into his shots and able to rip on them. He really let loose in the second set. He finished points off at the net and even from the baseline, his favorite place to be.
”This was a solid win overall. East has really turned their team around since last year, they have really stepped their singles game up to challenge us.”
BNL will host Jennings County in the final round on Friday. At the conclusion of that match, the Stars will also host Greencastle to conclude the championship match of the Edgewood Invitational, which was postponed by rain on Sept. 13.
HHC TOURNAMENT
Consolation round
BNL 3, Columbus East 2
Singles
1 Jackson Corey, BNL d. Trevor Ernst 6-1, 6-0
2 Kai Bergman, CE d. Asher Thompson 6-3, 6-4
3 Landon Redelman, CE d. Aden Ralston 6-3, 7-5
Doubles
1 Orion Hill and Micah Carter, BNL d. Micah Wettschurack and Michael Reed 6-3, 6-3
2 Neal Patel and Braxton Fugate, BNL d. Carson Hartsook and Cooper Harry 6-1, 6-2
