NHS Tennis Teams Cruise Before Falling To Weston

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s boys’ and girls’ tennis teams continued their long winning streaks with triumphs over Brookfield on May 6, then finally fell in matches with Weston on May 9.

The boys, after a season-opening match to Weston in a match that didn’t count toward the South-West Conference standings, reeled off eight straight wins before falling to Weston, 5-2, in an SWC battle at home on May 9. The girls won nine straight matches before losing 6-1 at Weston that day.

In their 6-1 win over Brookfield, the boys got victories in all four singles matches. No. 1 player Rob Beier earned a 6-1, 6-0 win over Max Robbins; No. 2 Tyler Ruefenacht defeated Tyler Goldstein, 6-0, 6-1; No. 3 Cam McCleary defeated Kyle Tolle, 6-0, 6-1; and No. 4. Ricky Fuentes defeated Stephen Vulcano, 6-1, 6-1.

Newtown’s top doubles team of Connor Howell and Sean Elliott defeated Jeff Magin and Jason Schwartz, 6-2, 6-0. The No. 2 team of Adam Oelberg and Yossi Kohrman-Glaser defeated Christian Ball and Sam Brady, 6-1, 6-0. Brookfield’s No. 3 team of Adam Claxton and Joe Whalen beat Karan Marwah and Nic Klein, 6-1, 6-4.

Against Weston, Newtown’s two wins came at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. Beier defeated Cameron Hagen, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Newtown Coach Marty Margulies described the match as the best SWC tennis he has witnessed. Both players had nice setup shots, leading to put-away shots, and kept hard-to-get-to balls in play throughout the match. Beier trailed 3-0 in the second set tiebreaker before prevailing. “It was incredible play on both sides,” Margulies said.

No. 4 singles player Ricky Fuentes dropped a tough three-setter to Jon Lipsitz, who prevailed 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Howell Elliott defeated Josh Weiss and Jack Lawless, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Newtown, despite the loss, came away with an 8-2 overall record and 8-1 mark in SWC play.

The girls toppled Brookfield 5-2 in a match that featured five two-set results. Newtown won at first and second singles, as well as in all three doubles clashes. No. 1 singles player Lauren Frazzetta knocked off Rebecca Vulcano 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 Ale Fuentes defeated Kayla Carlucci 6-1, 7-5; No. 3 Grace Winans lost to Mary Petruska 6-3, 6-0; and No. 4 Maggie Kost fell to Jess Becker, 6-4, 6-2. In doubles play, Newtown’s top tandem of Meghan Loose and Julia Frattaroli defeated Emily Laughlin and Kerri Lalli, 6-2, 6-1; the No. 2 team of Sara Benson and Annie Beier outlasted Mackenzie Morehouse and Kayla Beazer, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2; and the No. 3 team of Meghan Logan and Mia Terracino topped Christina Marcano and Lauren Pelczar, 6-0, 6-3.

Against Weston, Logan and Terracino prevailed with a 7-5. 6-2 win. Newtown’s top doubles team lost a three-set battle which came down to a tiebreaker.

“They’re very good. They jell together — they’re playing really well,” said Newtown Coach Maureen Maher, whose team carried a 10-3 record into another tough match, against Joel Barlow on Wednesday (after The Bee sports section went to press).