Mustangs overcome injury, illness to beat Anderson Valley 4-1 on the road
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BOONVILLE >> Anderson Valley’s Damian Eligio and Middletown’s Anthony Lopez played the match of the day Monday afternoon as the undefeated Mustangs notched a 4-1 Coastal Mountain Conference North victory at Anderson Valley High School in Boonville.
While Eligio was able to outlast Lopez 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 6-4 in their second-singles match, Middletown won the remaining four matches in straight sets to improve to 9-0 on the season.
“He had a great match and battled from 2-5 in the first set to losing the tiebreaker,” Middletown head coach Tony Hart said of Lopez, who moved up to No. 2 singles to fill in for the injured Harrison Brown. “He (Lopez) was also down 0-3 in the third set and came back to take the lead 4-3 before running out of gas. Damian is a solid player that you have to make your shots to beat him, and Anthony gave him a battle.”
In other singles action, Will Hoskins beat Wyatt Gatlin 6-1, 6-1 in first singles, and Leland Pike defeated Guy Kaphart 6-3, 6-4 in third singles.
“Will played great,” Hart said. “Leland battled a cold and had just enough to win. He was a zombie on the ride home.”
Needing to win at least one of the two doubles matches to take the match, the Mustangs ended up winning both. Nalu Johnson moved up from second doubles to join Jasiah Pike for the Mustangs’ 6-4, 6-0 victory over Erik Alcontrar and Migkel Marron in first-doubles action.
Luis Pamatz and Olivia Ruiz blanked Eddy Alvarez and Carlos Valdivia 6-0, 6-0 in second doubles.
“We needed a doubles win and Nalu moved up to play with Jasiah,” Hart said. “After they settled down, they took control and played strong. Olivia played with Luis (in second doubles) and they were strong together.”
Added Hart, “Anderson Valley is well coached and tough. This was a good win against adversity.”
Middletown meets Cloverdale for the first time this season on Thursday at the Hidden Valley Lake Courts. The Mustangs remain home Friday to take on their closest pursuer in the North standings, the Kelseyville Knights.
