Wolves drop pair of matches | Tennis

Friday Harbor slipped by the visiting Coupeville tennis team 3-2 Saturday, Sept. 17, to even the league series at 1-1.

The Wolves also dropped a nonleague match at South Whidbey 5-2 Monday, Sept. 19; the two team meet again Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Coupeville at 3 p.m.

Coupeville and Friday Harbor hook up again Thursday, Oct. 13, in the final league match which will determine the 2011 champion.

Earlier this fall, the Wolves edged Friday Harbor 3-2, but the Wolverines reversed the score last Saturday as Coupeville posted only one win and received a forfeit in third doubles.

The Wolves win came in second doubles from Aaron Curtin and Taku Yamauchi 6-1, 6-2.

Brian Norris and Brandon Kelley won by default in third doubles.

In first singles, Coupeville's Nathan Lamb jumped out to leads in all three sets but captured just the second in a 6-7(4-7), 6-3, 4-6 loss.

Ben Wehrman lost in second singles 3-6, 3-6; and Larry Hurlburt and Jason Knoll fell in first doubles 4-6, 2-6.

In the loss to South Whidbey, Coupeville earned wins from Lamb (6-2, 6-1) and Wehrman (6-1, 6-3) in the top two singles matches.

Coach Ken Stange said Lamb was "consistent when he needed to be and used his power when appropriate."

He said in regard to Wehrman, "Rarely did I see him miss a shot; he was also hitting for power. This was the best tennis I've ever seen Ben play."

Other results:

Singles: 3, Yamauchi lost 1-6, 5-7; 4, Curtin lost 0-6, 2-6.

Doubles: 1, Hurlburt/Knoll lost 1-6, 1-6; 2, Norris/Kelley lost 1-6, 0-6; 3, Jake McCormick/Cameron Boyd lost 0-6, 0-6.

Contact Whidbey News Times Sports editor Jim Waller at jwaller@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5060.

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