LHS Tennis: With His 100th Win, Goldstein Saves The Day

Brandon Goldstein won the 100^th match of his career and punched Livingston’s ticket to the Group championships all in one courageous performance on Tuesday.

Goldstein’s come-from-behind 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4 victory at second singles helped the Lancers to a 3-2 win over Morris Knolls in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 final at Knoll Racquet and Health Club in Lake Hiawatha.

The Lafayette-bound senior, on the verge of winning in the second set, saw his opponent, hard-hitting Gene Tioutine, claw his way back from a 4-1 deficit and take the second. Tioutine continued to hold the momentum into the third and took a 4-1 advantage. But Goldstein, 30-1 this spring, reeled off five games. Goldstein, who has played four years of varsity, three at second singles and one at first singles, upped his career mark to 100-27.

Livingston (31-0) took home its second consecutive and 16^th overall sectional crown.

“We all knew this would be a very competitive match,” LHS athletic director Pat Genova said. “Brandon never gave up. He worked extremely hard … Not only was this a great win for the team, but it was also a special event for Brandon.”

The Lancer’s other two points came in doubles. Matt Wolff and Jesse Bloom, at first doubles, and Kevin Sun and Spencer Luster, second doubles, both won in straight sets.

Livingston will continue its attempt to run the table at the NJSIAA Group championships on Thursday at Mercer County Park in West Windsor. It will open the event against Eastern, a 3-2 winner in South Jersey, at 11 a.m.