Somers tennis pushes Carmel to the limit

SOMERS, N.Y. - With six matches completed at the Somers High School tennis courts, the score against Carmel was tied—three apiece. The outcome came down to Matthew Searles and Jayden Ferry.

“I was nervous,” said Ferry, and the razor-thin result showed just how close the match was. The Somers duo lost a 9-8 tiebreaker, but Searles took the disappointment in stride. “I’m just here to have fun,” assured the junior.

Despite the final loss, there was plenty of strong Somers tennis. The Tuskers’ success began at the top of the lineup. Sam Giliberti fought through a 3-6, 6-1, 10-4 win. “I was just playing as consistently as I could,” said the sophomore.

After a shaky start, Giliberti reset for the second set. “I got really focused,” he said. The elements added another layer of challenge. “I was really paying attention to the wind, trying to figure out where the ball was going to drop,” he explained.

Though his forehand—a primary strength—wasn’t at its best, Giliberti relied on strategy. “You’ve got to think a couple of steps ahead and recognize the patterns,” he noted.

On the neighboring court, Caleb Carpenter mirrored that success. After two 6-4 sets, he claimed a win in a tiebreaker. “I was ecstatic,” said the senior. “I couldn’t think of a better feeling.”

Carpenter adjusted his approach by reading his opponent’s tendencies. “A lot of times when he came to the net, he messed up,” he said. A high toss on his serve also helped. “It gives me time to process where the ball is and helps me calculate where my serve is going to go,” Carpenter added. With a win secured, he hopes to keep the momentum going. “I want to keep winning singles matches,” he said.

Sam Polner also stayed consistent, earning a 6-2, 6-3 victory. “I was very consistent,” said the senior. Acknowledging his own strengths and limitations, Polner said, “When I hit my forehand, I’ve got to make it count.”

In doubles, Tyler Phillips and Joseph Rydzewski were first on the court. Though they lost a 10-6 tiebreaker, Rydzewski saw positives. “We’re good at communication,” he said. His agility complemented Phillips’ power. “They’re not expecting me to get it, so it makes an easier winning shot for him,” explained the junior.

Phillips agreed: “I can be pretty powerful with my shots.” He also felt confident at the net. “I’m pretty good at hitting the ball where I want,” he said. Still, the loss highlighted areas for improvement. “We need more consistency, because sometimes we get a little too excited,” Phillips added.

Colin McGee and Teddy Richards also fell, 1-6, 3-6, but remained positive. “We did have some communication issues,” McGee said. As a first-time pairing, they still had highlights. “We had some aces and long volleys,” he noted. Even when their strategy didn’t fully click, McGee kept perspective: “You can’t really think that losing means it’s a terrible game. You have to find what you did well and have a good time.”

Finally, Mark Mundis and Jacob Anderson were in position to seal a Somers victory with a 3-2 lead. “It was pretty intense; we just lost the tiebreaker,” said Anderson. The duo’s style complements each other—Anderson plays in the back, Mundis up front. “We’ve played so many sports together that we just know what the other person is thinking,” Mundis said.

The pair succeeded in the second set. “We put the ball in play and let the other team make the mistakes,” Anderson said. But the third set didn’t go their way. “It didn’t work out,” he admitted, leaving Somers looking ahead to future matches.