September 10, 2024, the Royal boys tennis team was matched up against HSE’s number one rival, the Fishers Tigers. A royal tennis win is crucial to HSE winning the Mudsock trophy.
HSE was able to compete fiercely against the tigers despite the challenges they faced. “I think I played pretty good,” Alex Piercy said. “Battling with an injury.”
The royals had played with determination and were tied with an overall score of 2-2, when it came down to the last set. Ian Ransom and Logan Foust, playing doubles, were the last chance to pull out a win over the tigers. Tennis Mudsock was dependent on this set. The royal pair played hard in there first set, that ultimately ended in a defeat. This defeat was temporary though, because they tied the score 1 all in their second set. The tigers pulled through a second set win, placing the score at 1-2. HSE pounced back with a double flip, not just doubling their score, but also placing them ahead of Fishers. But FHS was ready to rebuttal and earn a double flip against the royals in the fifth set, and then another win in the next. The score has reached Royals 3, Tigers 5. HSE had an exciting 2 sets following this. Set 7 earns them another win, and they pull through in set 8 with a second double flip of the pair’s match. The two royals are required to win 7 sets to declare victory over their opponents. Causing them to play in another set, but the Fishers pair was able to balance the score, ending in a tie. This resulted in the need of a tie breaker. The sun had set, and the courts were poorly lit. Players struggled to identify the ball in the dark sky, causing the players to move courts to receive more light. The Royals entered the tiebreaking set on the new court with persistence and dedication. HSE and FHS managed to tie the game score at 2-2. The heat was on. The royal pair triumphed and earned 5 points in a row, establishing the win of their sets. This granted a Royal tennis Mudsock win.
The team is happy with how they played and defeated the rivaled tigers, “We played pretty good, started off rough,” Ian Ransom said. “But we pulled it back and got that easy dub.”
The royals are confident in their performance and the victorious outcome of the match. “I think we played as best as we could,” Logan Foust said. “And it worked out great for us.”
