Gibson Southern Titan boys tennis took home another win, this time against the Washington Hatchets, improving their record to 14-1 on the season. They traveled to Washington High School on Tuesday, Sept. 16, where they took the win, 4-1.
While the Titans were able to earn the win in four of their five spots, the focus of the match was the game between one singles player Jaxon Curl against the Hatchets’ Joshua Meredith. Meredith got the best of Curl in three sets.
“It was to make All-Conference, to guarantee you were in All-Conference,” Curl said. “My confidence was super high in the first set, and then I came out slow in the second and third set, which is what lost the match for me.”
Curl won the first set 6-1, but then fell 6-4 and 6-4 in the second and third sets.
“I now come out with more confidence in the second set to guarantee I don’t have another one of those matches,” Curl said.
Curl was feeling the pressure going into the third set, when all eyes from the players of Washington and Gibson Southern were on him.
“It helps to know that I have the team behind my back watching, but it also turns up the stakes a little bit,” Curl said.
Curl is currently on track to set the school record for most matches won. He has 12 wins on the season and 53 for his career as a Titan. The school record is 72 wins. At this pace, Curl should etch his name into the Titan tennis history books his senior year.
Junior doubles player Carter DeBord secured a victory with his partner, sophomore Collin Grabbe. They won both sets, 6-2 and 6-2 for the win.
“Personally, I feel like I played well, and my partner also played really well that night,” DeBord said.
Freshman singles player Aidan Williams had a perfect score of 6-0 and 6-0. Although he had a perfect match, there are improvements he can make.
“I can improve on my forehand,” Williams said.
According to him, things he could improve on his forehand are putting more topspin and pace on the ball.
Kyle DeBord, the head coach of the tennis team, believes that, as a whole, the team can improve in certain areas over the next couple of weeks, though he has seen the boys progress and improve throughout the season.
“In terms of improvement, I think our serve consistency, our net play and shot placement [need attention],” DeBord said. “Right now, we are playing better than we were at the beginning of the season.”
Before the match, both Williams and Carter DeBord were feeling similar emotions: a mash-up of nerves and the pressure of maintaining their team’s near-perfect record.
“Before, I felt a little nervous because I wanted to win for the team,” Williams said.
With the team playing well, Kyle DeBord explained that the boys have a goal of being Regional Champions this year. Since Washington was a conference opponent, the match gave a clearer view of where the Titans stand within the Pocket Athletic Conference
“Playing Washington is another opportunity to learn something about ourselves,” Kyle DeBord said. “I think singles learned how to handle different styles of players. Doubles learned how to come out and dominate the net.”
