Lancers win last league match 7-0 Lancers win last league match 7-0 (April 30, 2004)

St. Francis hopeful will head to CCS playoffs

By Colleen Corcoran

The St. Francis boys tennis team met little resistance from Riordan, demolishing the Crusaders 7-0 on April 22, the final league contest for the Lancers.

"It was a double bagel," said Atul Saxena, who earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at number-one doubles with partner Chris Eldredge.

With both Riordan players at the baseline half the time, Saxena and Eldredge sprayed crosscourt winners and dribbling drop shots that were impossible to return. At the end, Riordan's players gave up, not following through with swings, tapping the ball from the baseline and scrambling to return serves.

Lancer number-one singles player Calvin Leung didn't get much of a fight either, posting another 6-0, 6-0 shutout for St. Francis.

"I played pretty good. It was solid," said Leung. "[My opponent] kind of gave up towards the end so that made it a lot easier."

Number-three singles player Rohan Amin took an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Riordan's Joe Orengo. "At this match, it's just like hit around and practice your shots pretty much," he said.

Amin's jump serve and net play were too much for his Riordan opponent's weak wrist. With Orengo hitting out-of-control returns, Amin was a patient witness. He needed only to wait for the points to play out in order to confirm the win.

Amin later said his play was "not that good" but that he wasn't worried about losing either.

Meanwhile, a battle of unforced errors took place next door between Lancer number-two singles Kevin Conner and Riordan's Jacob Louie. While Louie lacked finesse, Conner was overly aggressive. But Conner, whose only challenge was returning Louie's wild, messy slices and lobs, prevailed.

With serves deep into the corners, including a few aces, as well as a mix of ground strokes, volleys and whatever else he could come up with, Conner took the quick, but not necessarily quiet, 6-3, 6-1 victory.

"I wasn't playing my best, just trying to win that's all," Conner said. "[The season] started out pretty well, but towards the end, this past month or so, I've been injured a bit so it's been tough on me."

Kedar Reddy and C.J. Lion won 6-1, 6-2 at number-two doubles. Pierce Acuff, at number-four singles, and Brian Dinh, at number-five, completed the 7-0 sweep.

Game. Set. Match. Season.

At least until CCS.

"If we make it into CCS. We're not doing as well as we have in the past," said Conner. "In my last few years, we've been in the semis for CCS, and this year, we've lost a lot of seniors, a lot of good ones, so it's been tough."

The Lancers are 8-6 in league play and ranked fourth in their division.

E-mail Colleen Corcoran at sports@mv-voice.com

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