'The chemistry feels great': Ashland boys tennis is getting hot at the right time
ASHLAND — Ashland’s boys tennis team has faced its fair share of adversity this season.
The Arrows lost six of seven matches to begin the season, but they seem to have put that rough start behind them.
With a 3-2 win over Mount Vernon in Ohio Cardinal Conference play Thursday at Brookside Park, Ashland has now won three consecutive matches.
It would have been easy for the Arrows to hang their heads after such a tough start to the season. They could have started going through the motions and considered the season a lost cause.
Instead, they continued to work at the things they needed to improve. Their closeness to each other also helped keep the season on track.
“I think our chemistry is really good,” Ashland junior Cooper Glazier said. “We just enjoy bus rides. They’re a ton of fun. All of the guys are fun. On the bus rides, we’re just talking the whole time.
“We always pray and cheer before our matches, and the chemistry feels great. These guys are great. Our coaches are good.”
When things weren’t going too well, nothing magical was said to spark what’s taken place in recent matches. The wins just started coming naturally.
“It just kind of happened,” Glazier said. “We’re not at our best yet. There’s definitely room for improvement, but we’re definitely better than we were, so I’m happy.”
If you ask Ashland coach Taylor Long, his team’s record may be a tad misleading. He purposely scheduled several tough teams so his players would be prepared for top-level competition come tournament time.
“To say that we started 1-6 doesn’t necessarily mean that we are a bad team,” he said. “We’ve played a lot of really tough competition, and we haven’t quite hit our stride yet.
“I’m hoping that we can peak at the right time.”
The weather hasn’t helped things, either. The Arrows have had to postpone or cancel several matches and practices because of rain, snow or a combination of both.
With all of those missed opportunities to get on the court, they’ve lost valuable time to build team camaraderie and work on the things they need to improve.
“Sometimes we’d go two or three days without seeing each other,” Long said. “Getting back into a routine of practicing and working on stuff has helped a lot.”
Glazier led the way against Mount Vernon with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles, while Ben Sinchok cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles. Caedon Blough and Seth Karnosh secured the team victory by winning 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles.
“I was really impressed with the way the guys played today,” Long said. “Conference matches are always tough, but pulling out that 3-2 victory was a good one.”
Ashland has a few matches remaining before competing at the OCC Championships on May 6 and sectionals the following week. Glazier and his teammates aren’t thinking about the conference tournament and beyond, though.
“I’m just trying to take it one match at a time,” he said. “I think that’s what most of us are trying to do.”
Reach Chris at csnow@times-gazette.com
On Twitter: CSnow_TG
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland boys tennis is playing its best down the stretch
