FREMONT – It’s easy to look at the score and think, ‘It’s over.’
Lily Abdoo
But thanks to coach Lisa Wolfe, Fremont Ross senior Lily Abdoo knew better.
After losing the first set of her No. 2 singles match against Sandusky’s Marisa Esposito, Abdoo trailed in the second set, 2-5. Though she was just one game away from defeat, Abdoo knew the match wasn’t over.
She rallied, won the next five games to win the set 7-5 then won the third set super tiebreaker, 10-5, to take the victory in a match that lasted nearly three hours in Ross’ 4-1 win over the Blue Streaks.
“I’ve said this for years, ‘2-5, or 5-2, is the easiest score in tennis to turn around,’” Wolfe said. “Because the 5 person thinks they’ve already won the set and the 2 person has nothing to lose.
“The first thing Lily said when she came off the court was ‘Coach, I just proved what you’ve always taught us, 2-5 is the easiest score to turn around,’ That was kind of funny.”
While Abdoo’s was most dramatic, it was far from the only competitive match of the day. At No. 3 singles, Berlin Swaisgood fell behind in the first set to come back for a 6-4, 6-1 win. Gillian Gallagher won at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0, in a match that Wolfe said was harder than the score indicates.
“It was a really tough match, (Sandusky) have a lot of talent and Gilli was playing on. She was just on tonight. All the way down, I knew they had a lot of talent on their team just by looking at their scores with other teams and comparing. I had no other choice than the strong lineup with the singles.”
Emma Jahns and Lillie Swinehart battled for a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles while the No. 1 doubles duo of Sophia Biggins and Vivyanna Esquivel won their first set, 6-3, but lost a pair of tiebreakers in the last two sets, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5).
“The singles did their job,” Wolfe said. “I was counting on the singles, and No. 2 doubles pulled it out. No.1 doubles, I see a lot of things we can work on tomorrow at practice – for both doubles teams.”
Ross is now 12-5 overall and begins the TRAC tournament Friday at Oregon Clay at 10 a.m.
Fremont Ross 4, Sandusky 1
No. 1 singles: Gillian Gallagher (FR) def. Alana Armstrong, 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 singles: Lily Abdoo (FR) def. Marisa Esposito, 4-6, 7-5, 10-5.
No. 3 singles: Berlin Swaisgood (FR) def. Baylie Tieche, 6-4, 6-1
No. 1 doubles: Sumerlyn Thomas (SHS) def. Sophia Biggins/Vivyanna Esquivel, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5)
No. 2 doubles: Emma Jahns/Lillie Swinehart (FR) def. Audrey Smith/Kristen Ehrnsberger, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
Ross Record: 12-5 overall