Vermilion rallies for boys tennis win over Oberlin

VERMILION — Oberlin may have won the battle, but Vermilion won the war. The Phoenix won the first two matches of the day only for Vermilion to pull out two three-set victories and get a Tyler Roberts upset at second singles to take the match 3-2 Thursday. Roberts was paired off against Grant Martz, a two-time Division II district qualifier in doubles. Martz led the first set 4-3 before Roberts broke back and took a 6-5 lead before winning the tiebreaker 7-5. He rode the momentum into the second set for a 6-3 win. "I was pretty ready for that tiebreaker," said Roberts, who was playing in his third tiebreaker this year. "I just wanted to target his backhand, I felt that was the best way to get the job done and I think it worked out. I came into this a little bit hesitant on what I was going to do with his play, but I found targeting his backhand was the best option." First singles featured two of the area's top players in Oberlin's Oliver Knijnenburg and Vermilion's Severin Kretchmar with Knijnenburg — Martz's partner for both district tournament trips — winning 6-1, 6-3. The two could be in line for a rematch at the upcoming LCAAA tournament, depending on how the bracket shakes out. "My serve was pretty average today so I really had to rely on my strokes and just tactics," Knijnenburg said. "There were some insane points. Last season, I played him and it was much easier than this time because he's improved a lot. I had to focus on pressuring him a lot, tried not to go for too much." Knijnenburg won the opening three games with two breaks before Kretchmar won an 11-point game to break back. Knijnenburg held off three break-point attempts before Kretchmar closed him out. But Knijnenburg bounced back with three straight games. The second set stayed on serve for the first five games, including back-to-back marathons that could have gone either way. Kretchmar had three chances to break in the third game, which also went 11 points, before Knijnenburg held serve. Knijnenburg had two break chances during a 13 point game, but Kretchmar delivered an unreturned serve to keep the set on serve. Knijnenburg broke to lead 4-2 — winning the match's fourth deuce game — before the pair traded breaks and Knijnenburg served out the match, winning the final point on a long rally. "I hunkered down after the first set and realized I needed to move my feet better," Kretchmar said. "I needed to pull him out wide and make him move a lot more. It's obviously a learning opportunity every time you play someone like that. I can build off of this by watching some of the stuff he does and try to mimic it." Oberlin's doubles team of Asa Rosen-Jones and Jasmine Belshaw were the first team off the court with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Trey Ellis-Darren Frenk at first doubles. Vermilion, however, secured three set wins at third singles and second doubles to complete the rally. Anthony Ozmun shook off a first set loss for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win against Evan Bandy. He trailed 3-2 in the third set before securing the next four games. Vermilion's second doubles team of Stephen Tang and Zeke Dunn had to shake off a rough second set for a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 win against Silas Jenkins and Iliana Bennett. The Oberlin duo secured a break to clinch both its match and the team victory. Contact Chris Sweeney at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Follow him @CSweeney1686 on Twitter. Vermilion 3, Oberlin 2 FIRST SINGLES: Oliver Knijnenburg (O) def. Severin Kretchmar, 6-1, 6-3. SECOND SINGLES: Tyler Roberts (V) def. Grant Martz, 7-6 (5), 6-3. THIRD SINGLES: Anthony Ozmun (V) def. Evan Bandy, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. FIRST DOUBLES: Asa Rosen-Jones/Jasmine Belshaw (O) def. Trey Ellis/Darren Frenk, 6-4, 6-3. SECOND DOUBLES: Stephen Tang/Zeke Dunn (V) def. Silas Jenkins/Iliana Bennett, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.