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Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
One week after the Forest Lake tennis team tried a new roster in an effort to win the crucial 4-3 decisions, the Rangers returned to their original lineup and produced mixed results.
On April 22, the boys were in Roseville, and ended up being locked in a tight match that finally went Forest Lake’s way in a 5-2 victory.
The following afternoon, head coach Greg Patchin watched another opponent grab yet another close one, as Hastings took the 4-3 victory.
“Good match,” Patchin started. “One point short — sounds like a broken record.”
If the Hastings matchup was put to music, one side of the album would have virtually all singles, while the B-sides would have nothing but doubles.
The top three solo artists were all Rangers, with Dusty Boyer, white-hot Spencer Conrad and Sammy Steiner earning relatively easy wins.
Jeff Isaacson at No. 4 singles tumbled 4-6, 3-6, and he was joined by all three doubles teams, thereby swinging the afternoon over to Hastings.
Twenty-four hours prior, Forest Lake was in Roseville, picking up the team’s first Suburban East Conference victory of the season.
With three points secured for the Rangers, Patchin was waiting for his squad’s fourth, but would end up with five.
“It was thrilling to see Sam Steiner come from 0-6 down to win in a third set tiebreaker and secure our first conference win,” Patchin said.
“It was special to see Spencer Conrad front run at No. 2 singles, and Paul Hill and Randy Schroeder pull out a tiebreaker win (No. 2 doubles).”
Coon Rapids loss
The Cardinals of Coon Rapids were in town on Monday afternoon, and even though Patchin tried to avoid seeing the same scenario by altering his doubles teams, the Rangers lost by that familiar tune of 4-3.
“We got three easy points and they had four,” Patchin said.
Boyer and Conrad were victorious in singles, with the third Forest Lake point coming from the Isaacson/Dylan Sperry duo at No. 2 doubles.
“Coon Rapids is a solid, deep team from top to bottom and they beat us with their depth,” Patchin said.
“The team is 3-5 overall and four of the losses have been 3-4. Without practices, it is very difficult to make adjustments.”
Adjusting on the fly, the boys hosted Woodbury on Tuesday, and travel to White Bear Lake on Thursday.
Rangers 5, Roseville 2
SINGLES: Boyer def. Al Forsythe 6-2, 6-2; Conrad def. Dave Martin 6-0, 6-0; Steiner def. Yuanchou Li 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3); Jeff Isaacson def. Dan Shivers 6-1, 6-1.
DOUBLES: Josh Magistad/Ben Mullen lost to Josh Face/Josh Pozner 6-7(5), 2-6; Schroeder/Hill def. Bryan Forsythe/Brent Gruver 6-3, 3-6 7-6 (5); Tyler Wilcox/Andrew Rupar def. Greg Madden/ Henry Auger 1-6, 4-6.
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