EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville’s boys’ tennis team defeated some tough competition to advance to the title match of the Champions Flight in Saturday’s Edwardsville Spring Invitational Tourney, but fell 8-1 to St. Xavier of Louisville, Ky.
St. Xavier captured the Kentucky state tennis championship last year.
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A total of 44 teams competed in the Edwardsville Spring Invitational at locations throughout the region. The presenting sponsor was Scott Credit Union. McConnell & Associates, the Edwardsville Futures Tournament and Mississippi River Games were additional sponsors.
“This was a big tournament for the area,” Edwardsville boys’ tennis coach Dave Lipe said. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to play some good tennis and a great opportunity to showcase our facilities and it’s a lot of cooperation on a lot of people’s part from the many schools who help host. The list is extensive, as far north as Jersey and far south as Mascoutah and so many in between. There was a lot of good competition over the weekend, with several top teams participating.”
Seth Lipe captured the singles win for Edwardsville at No. 4 singles against St. Xavier.
Other close matches of the championship confrontation were: Zach Trimpe at No. 1 singles, bowed 6-4, 6-3 to Drew Singerman; at No. 2 singles, Alex Gray battled Alex Wesbrooks intensely but lost 7-5, 2-6, 10-7; Erik Weiler fell in a tough match to Spencer Blandford at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 6-2. In doubles, Trimpe and Gray lost to Singerman and Wesbrooks 7-5, 2-6, 14-12.
Earlier in the day, Edwardsville defeated Normal University High School 3-2. Edwardsville won two of three doubles matches. Gray and Trimpe blanked their opponent 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1, Logan Kuhns and Ben Bequette at No. 3, were 6-4, 6-2 winners. Weiler also won a hard-fought No. 1 singles match 6-4, 7-6.
EHS advanced to the championship match with a 3-2 semifinal win over Normal University High School on Saturday morning.
The Tigers won two of the three doubles matches, including a 6-0, 6-0 victory for Gray and Trimpe at No. 1 flight.
Kuhns and Bequette, at No. 3 doubles, won 6-4, 6-2.
Weiler, playing No. 1 singles for Edwardsville, earned a 6-4, 7-6 win.
The Tigers return to action at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for another Southwestern Conference dual match at O’Fallon.
