Conestoga Boys’ Varsity Tennis Team Defeats Lower Merion

The Conestoga Boys' Varsity Tennis team defeated Lower Merion High School 4-3 Tuesday, May 1 in a hotly contested match, overtaking a long-time rival, and emerging as Central League Champions.

It was the Pioneers' first League Championship in three years (Lower Merion took the top spot in 2017, Radnor in 2016). The Conestoga team, under coach Brittany Aimone and assistant coach Mark Tirone, went 12-1 for the regular season and was undefeated in the Central League.

The matches were hard-fought endurance tests for both players and spectators who had gathered to provide rousing support for the teams. Four of the matches went to three sets, and the seven matches unfolded over more than four hours of play, with one doubles match clocking in at more than three hours. Victory was not in hand until nearly 8 PM, as darkness began to settle on the Lower Merion campus.

Lower Merion took the first two singles matches, but senior Carson Lortz prevailed in his singles match, staging a strong comeback after a close first set loss to win in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-4). Three of the four doubles matches went to three sets: Conestoga went on to win three of the four (and nearly took another), including the final nail-biter featuring Conestoga’s Stephen Le and Andy Mei that was decided in a three set tie breaker.

“We held strong and fought hard, with most matches going into three sets,” said Coach Brittany Aimone. “Our program’s motto is, ‘A Tradition of Excellence,’ and the boys admirably displayed excellence in their grace and positivity on and off the court. I could not be more proud of them.”

Match results (Conestoga players listed first):

SINGLES

· Ahmed Aboseada v. Sean Attebery (0-6, 0-6)

· Rodrigo Lorencin v. Justin Minerva (2-6, 5-7)

· Carson Lortz v. Omosesan Adebamgbe (4-6, 6-4, 6-4)

DOUBLES

· Matt Walton & Peter Auslander v. Vekas Miller & Jared Robinson (5-7, 6-2, 7-5)

· Sam Weintraub & Jack Ginter v. Harrison Axelrod & Aseda Adebamgbe (6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-0), 4-6)

· Stephen Le & Andy Mei v. Ethan Blum & Max Serota (2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4))

· Henry Danon & Nashanth Kopri v. Eric Bell & Evan Goodman (6-0, 6-2)