Sports

Boys Tennis: Third doubles pair gives Tuckers lift they need

Parker Tuthill brought Mattituck one of its three wins at singles, defeating Shoreham-Wading River's Brandon Porcele in two sets. (Credit: Garret Meade)
Parker Tuthill brought Mattituck one of its three wins at singles, defeating Shoreham-Wading River’s Brandon Porcele in two sets. (Credit: Garret Meade)

TUCKERS 4 1/2, WILDCATS 2 1/2

Tiebreakers in tennis are pressure situations. Tiebreakers in a decisive third set are even tougher still.

With a light rain falling on a wet court and a chill hanging in the air, Ty Bugdin and Sean Granberg felt the heat. Then they responded.

The Mattituck third doubles pair prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker, 7-5, over Jordan Block and Chris Ramando to give the Tuckers the winning fourth point in a 4 1/2-2 1/2 victory over Shoreham-Wading River on Monday. The two doubles teams had split the first two sets, each winning by 6-2.

That third doubles result left only one contest to be completed, the first doubles match between Shoreham’s Tom Strindiron and Nick West and Mattituck’s Charles Hickox and Tyler Roshen. That match was headed to a third-set tiebreaker as well before Shoreham coach Chris Bevelander and Mattituck coach Mike Huey put an early end to it, calling it a tie out of concern for the players’ safety in light of the wet conditions on the Mattituck High School courts.

The Tuckers (7-2, 4-2 Suffolk County League VII) took three of the four singles matches through Parker Tuthill, Andrew Young and Kevin Schwartz. Tuthill trounced Brandon Porcele, 6-0, 6-0; Young beat Sebastian Rodriguez, 6-1, 6-0; and Schwartz was a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Anthony De Leon.

Shoreham’s Chris Kuhnle served for 10 aces and took a 6-2, 6-1 win over his first-singles opponent, Garrett Malave.

Twins Craig and Kyle Schmidt brought the Wildcats (2-3, 1-3) a point at second doubles by virtue of their 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) defeat of Joe Macaluso and Nick Rabkevich.

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