The Bishop Ireton tennis team had a quick turn around after losing a tough match the previous day, entertaining St. Mary’s Ryken on Senior Day at their Carl Sandburg home courts on Friday, April 24. The Cardinal netters sent their seniors home happy, taking a 6-3 decision in the their last home match of the year.
Senior Matthew Pham started the home team off quickly, taking a 8-3 decision against St. Mary’s #1, Justin Wentworth. Fellow senior Alex Celis dropped a 8-2 match, but Garrett Beauch, playing his last home match wearing the Cardinal colors, pulled out a tough 8-6 win at #3 singles.
Senior Dylan Louison won at #4 singles, defeating D.B. Martin of St. Mary’s 8-5. Austin Baney was edged at #5 singles, but freshman Peter Murphy collected another WCAC win in his first year for the Ireton tennis team, winning at #6 singles 8-3.
After the singles matches, the Cardinals led the team match 4-2 and needed one more doubles match to take the team match. They did not have to wait long to get it.
Beauch and Murphy slammed the door on the visitors from Southern Maryland, winning easily at #2 doubles 8-1. This win clinched the team match for Bishop Ireton. Louison and Baney also won at #3 doubles, and Pham and Celis dropped the closest match of the day 9-8 (10-8) in a tie-breaker.
The win leaves the Cardinals at 2-10 for the year, 1-6 in the WCAC. This week the Varsity travels to Benedictine for an away match on Tuesday, before they visit WCAC foe DeMatha in the final match of the year on Wednesday Bishop Ireton begins WCAC tournament play on Friday at the Olney Manor Tennis Center in Olney, Maryland.