Scituate sails past Melrose, 4-1
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—After making the Div. 2 playoff field in yet another season, the Melrose High boy’s tennis team saw their season end in the first round of playoffs on May 29. Melrose drew the No. 27 seed and was paired against No., 6 Scituate, who posed a stiff challenge on the road. Melrose fell to the Sailors, 4-1, ending their successful season.
It was, however, a strong day for Melrose’s Dan Teittinen, who beat his Scituate opponent, 6-2, 6-3. “Daniel was dominant against the best player Scituate had to offer,” says Melrose head coach Sam Stallings. “His play style matched up well with his opponent’s and he fully exploited that. He was down a bit early in the 2nd set, and his opponent was gaining momentum, but he took that away in a moment’s notice and won several games in a row to win. This was the third playoffs in a row that Daniel has earned a strong win for us at singles.”
Collectively, Melrose sent their best out to face Scituate and it included Joseph Brady in second singles who lost 6-3, 6-4 and Andy Wang who lost in third singles 6-3, 6-3. And in doubles Melrose sent out Alec Truesdale and Gautik Singh in first doubles who lost 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 and in second doubles, Grady Kamosa and Colin Cote who lost 6-1, 6-4.
“Scituate was a solid team, very well-rounded,” noted Stallings. “They weren’t as talented as many of the teams we saw during the regular season, but they were steady athletes and played smart enough to put us under pressure at times in all five matches. Though it is always painful to lose, there were moments that our guys performed well. This was a match that we absolutely could have won, unfortunately, we didn’t have a good enough day as a team.”