Lady Chiefs edge Bulldogs on courts
Boys have tough time against Pasco
MOSES LAKE — With the match score tied 3-3, Moses Lake's hopes of defeating Pasco and improving to 4-2 on the season rested squarely on the shoulders of Gabe Madson, the Lady Chiefs' number one singles player. Madson was more than up to the challenge, dispatching Pasco's Kimberly Selph 6-0, 6-1 to give Moses Lake the victory over the visiting Bulldogs.
It was no coincidence that Madson was the last player on the courts for Moses Lake, as coach Jon Valencia switched up his playing order for a situation such as this.
"I wanted to take the pressure off our other players," said Valencia of the reasoning behind the move. "If we're in a situation where it's 3-3, I know (her) head is in the match."
Madson's mindset during the match was just as her coach had hoped.
"You try to forget the whole (team) match thing and just focus on your match," said Madson of how she approached the contest.
Madson controlled the match from the first serve, exchanging long rallies with Pasco's Selph before putting away point after point.
"I just tried to be patient and wait for the right time instead of trying to end the point quickly," Madson said.
Nikki Chambers, playing in the second singles match, was equally dominant in her 6-1, 6-0 victory over Pasco's Lee Davidson.
"We have two number one singles players," remarked Valencia. "Nikki and Gabe are both dynamic players."
After the match, Madson and teammate Ashley Gessel were very happy with the team's second win in three days. On Tuesday, the Lady Chiefs defeated traditional Big Nine power Eisenhower 4-3.
In the boys' match, the Chiefs were beaten by Pasco 6-1.
Adrian Juarez and Brent McCaffery's victory over Derek Cardenas and Issac Westland in the number three doubles match was the lone bright spot on the day for the boys. Juarez and McCaffery dropped the first set 5-7, but rallied to take the final two sets 6-1 and 6-3.
Rob Leary and Ben Nye, playing in the number one doubles matchup, lost a hard-fought battle to Pasco's Andrew Fowles and Thomas Fowles.
The Moses Lake pair fell behind 3-0 before charging back to take a 6-5 lead in the set. The Pasco duo then tied the set at six, and in the tiebreaker cruised to a 7-1 win.
Undaunted, Leary and Nye blitzed the Pasco team with a 6-0 victory in the second set. In the third and final set, the Moses Lake duo fell 4-6 to drop the match.
In the other boys' doubles match, Nolan Hansen and Lars Odegaard of Moses Lake were beaten 3-6, 1-6 by Jaakob Ritan and Chad Selph.
Back on the girls' courts, Moses Lake's number one doubles tandem of Ashley Gessel and Bethany Bean dropped their match 2-6, 3-6 to Lindsay Crowner and Taryn Hilker.
Martha Fry and Emily Fry lost a difficult 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 match to Stephanie Nunez and Ana Munguia of Pasco in the number two doubles match.
"They're young, so it's gonna take some time on the court," said Valencia of his second doubles team. "They'll do nothing but improve."
Deidra Kofoed and Gwen Stoker lost 1-6, 1-6 in the other girls' doubles match.
In singles, the Lady Chiefs' Charleen Johnson needed a tiebreaker to complete here straight sets victory, winning 6-2, 7-6 (7-2). Lexi Graham, in the longest match of the day, defeated Pasco's Heidi Altenhofen 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to complete the singles' sweep for the Moses Lake girls.
Over on the boys courts, Sam Johnson dropped his top singles match 1-6, 0-6 to Skippy Fergens. Andy Su of Moses Lake won his opening set 6-0, but lost the next sets 2-6 and 3-6 to fall to Pasco's Scott Barmettlor.
Moses Lake's Paul Asfour was beaten 2-6, 2-6 by Sterling Swafford, and David Luu-Van fell 2-6, 0-6 to the Bulldogs' Brock Schadler.