The Staples Motley boys tennis team had a quick end to their team season with a disappointing 4-3 loss to Benson in the first round of the Section 6A team quarterfinals Friday.

The seventh seeded Cardinals t r aveled to Benson to take on the two seeded Braves in quarter final team play on Friday, May 15.

Despite their youth and lower seed, the Cards had their sights on a victory but came up one point shy.

Jordan Peterson and Mike Lindaman led the team with two wins at one and two singles.

"Jordan is really coming into his game, moving well and using the whole court, but it's his serve that has been initiating the point and controlling the court," according to Coach Kevin Coughlin.

Lindaman had to fight through three sets for a against Benson's Steven James for the second time this season. "Mike has all the tools to get the job done, but Benson as a team is solid and scrappy. They make you earn all your points."

In a line up change, Ent Chongkavinit moved from four singles to three. "We wanted to present a different playing style against a player that we thought would struggle against Ent's eclectic style, but Benson proved to be solid and adaptable." Chongkavinit went down in two straight sets 6-0, 6-1.

While the doubles were fighting their battle, senior Adam Cox was in a knock down drag out battle at four singles against an athletic and scrappy Benson player who pound for pound may be their most talented player.

After a first set loss, Cox fought back to get a 4-1 lead in the second and eventually win a tight 7-5 set for Cox.

Cox's third set was under way as the doubles matches (with all Cardinal freshman) unfolded.

The one doubles duo of Guthrie Coughlin and Grant Longbella got off to a strong start battling their first set to a tie-breaker after being down at the critical 4-5 point. "Guthrie and Grant put their focus on another gear and did the little things to put themselves in the position to finish it out."

The duo went up 3-0 in the tie-breaker, but failed to close it out by making some critical mistakes. "Apparently our mistakes goes along with their youth. You'd think these guys were kids." The second set got off to a slow start, but the duo fought back to challenge the lead to a 3-6 defeat and a second point going to Benson and a 2-2 match score.

"Although Guthrie and Grant made a couple of mistakes in judgement, I'm afraid I made the bigger one in getting on them for that at the set break rather than focusing on the positives and building on that into the second set. My energy didn't help the cause. They did a lot of good things and we should have rode that wave."

At two doubles, Matt Spar and Josh Solway struggled to loosen their game up and execute the way they had in practice. The pair fell, but not without a fight. "It seemed that Matt and Josh struggled to find the groove and get on the same page as a doubles team needs to in setting up and finishing points. They are two strong players and great competitors. I feel bad for them that they had an off day today."

With the Cards down 2-3, wind was blown back in the sails with the third doubles duo of Austin Hirschey and Shane Suess soaring through a third set to a win and third point for the Cards.

"Austin and Shane played so well, executing classic doubles. Shane especially moved well up and into the net where opportunity presents itself. Austin was his classic solid self setting up this and finishing that from all over the court."

With the team score knotted at 3, Adam Cox kept the momentum of his second set win into the third with a 1-0 lead. Benson's Ratliff- Craine got his composure, focus, and groove back taking the next four games, but it was Cox that showed great composure and competitive grit himself fighting back to 3-5 before the third and final set, match, and team point went to Benson.

"I am so proud of how Adam battled and carried himself. It was a humbling and pressure situation that not many people handle well. He proved to be a player - giving it his all in graceful

form."

Coach Coughlin said, "The Cards went into section

play with a strong focus and the determination they could win. This has been one of my most memorable seasons in what we did and how we did it."

Tennis results Benson 4, Staples-Motley 3

Singles

No. 1: Jordan Peterson (SM) def. Ben Murphy 6-0, 6-3; No. 2: Mike Lindaman (SM) def. Steven James 6-0, 4-6, 6-2; No. 3: Matt Hagestuen def. Waris Chongkavinit (SM) 6-0, 6-1; No. 4: Ethan Ratliff- Crain def. Adam Cox (SM) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1: Will Johnson-Luke Widseth (B) def. Guthrie Coughlin- Grant Longbella (SM) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2; No. 2: Ahren Backman-Brandon Edlund (B) def. Matt Spar-Josh Solway (SM) 6-2, 6-1; No. 3: Austin Hirschey-Shane Suess (SM) def. Mike Goulet-Nathan Block 6-2, 2-6, 6-2