The Salem High tennis teams are coming down the home stretch of the regular season. Both the boys and girls have matches this week with Patrick Henry and Pulaski County.
The boys were at PH Tuesday and had a home match with Pulaski County Wednesday, with results too late for press deadlines. Last week the boys lost to Hidden Valley, 7-2, but bounced back for a 5-4 win over a solid Lord Botetourt team at Salem High.
“The boys met teams led by elite regionally-ranked players,” said coach Steve Lily. “Against Hidden Valley the Spartans were able to win only at the number four and six positions, with Dev Patel and Thomas Powell notching points.”
Outstanding sophomores Ethan Steyrous and David Kidd head the Lord Botetourt lineup, but Salem junior Patel was joined by seniors Ethan Graybill and Dresden Fries as straight set winners in singles. Then, long after a doubles win by LB’s Steyrous and junior Jack Dixon concluded, Patel teamed with sophomore Thomas for a thrilling comeback to clinch the win.
The girls had three matches last week, including a 7-2 loss to Hidden Valley and an 8-1 loss to Lord Botetourt. Against LB the girls lost three singles matches in tie-breakers.
“Had we won those, the match could have shifted,” said Salem coach Jill Perez. “Not to mention, we were missing Elisa Nguyen as she was attending a scholarship dinner.”
The girls bounced back to shut out Christiansburg, 9-0, on “Senior Night.”
“We have six great seniors, and they will be missed,” said Perez.
The girls had Patrick Henry at home on Tuesday and a trip to Pulaski Friday to wrap up the regular season.
