Highland High School boys tennis slips past Belleville West for dual match victory

An experienced Belleville West club presented a stout challenge for the Highland boys tennis team Monday, March 28.

However, the Bulldogs netters did not shrink from the challenge.

Highland won three singles matches and pulled out a pair of doubles wins for an exciting 5-4 dual match victory against West at Highland High School.

“We were actually able to pull out the win and I think this match showed us a lot (of what we can do). West had a lot of experience and I feel like we’re pretty experienced and it’s just kind of fun to see us competing (early) like we are,” Highland coach Matt Pellock said.

In the singles flights, senor Isaac Pasley led the way at No. 3 by winning in three sets — 6-2, 6-7, and 10-4 in the third set tie-breaker.

Sophomore Bryant Smith won at No. 5 with a strong 6-2, 6-1 showing in his match, while freshman Will Lindsco claimed the No. 6 singles match with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

“The top four guys we have are all seniors, so the No. 5 and No. 6 guys and the rest of our lineup is kind of filled in with freshmen and sophomores. Bryant Smith played some varsity for us last year as a freshman and Will Lindsco as a freshman has been a solid addition for us,” Pellock said.

Senior Tyler Kutz dropped a three-set match at No. 1 singles 2-6, 6-3, 4-10.

“There was some good play in those matches,” Pellock said. “Tyler had a close match with their No. 1 guy and it was good that he was almost able to make it to the end there.”

Senior Alex Roach lost at No. 2 singles 2-6, 3-6 and fellow senior Ben Mitchell lost at No. 4 singles 4-6, 3-6.

HHS started off the doubles flights well as Smith and Lindsco teamed up and rallied late to win the No. 3 doubles match 8-6.

Pasley and Mitchell lost at No. 2 doubles 4-8 which left the match even at 4-4.

But HHS found a way to prevail in the final match of the day as the No. 1 doubles pair of Kutz and Roach teamed up to rally for a 9-7 victory.

“We were down 1-6 at No. 1 the last doubles match and that was the last match to come off (the court) and we ended up winning 9-7,” Pellock said.

Highland, which improved to 4-1 in dual matches, will have a few days off before heading to Edwardsville on Friday morning for the two-day Edwardsville Invitational Tournament at Edwardsville High School. Pellock expects a competitive weekend for the Bulldogs.

“We’ll be in a pretty good bracket, I think, this weekend in the Edwardsville Tournament and playing a lot of teams that are not from our area that will be strong teams,” Pellock said.

This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 8:57 AM.