By KYLE BRENNAN
CITIZEN’S NEWS
BEACON FALLS — There’s a lot that Woodland boys tennis coach Ryan McEvoy likes about his team so far this spring.
Of course, he likes the Hawks’ 6-1 start to the season, but he’s prouder of the way they’ve racked up those victories.
“The keys so far have been commitment and intensity,” McEvoy said. “The boys are playing to win and have a winning mentality, two keys to successful team tennis. I honestly believe everyone is playing well. All positions have won tough matches and everyone is pulling their weight.”
Woodland’s biggest win so far came April 18 at Watertown, where the Hawks earned a 3-2 victory to avenge a defeat earlier in the year.
The Hawks’ winners — No. 1 singles player Andy Hopkinson, No. 3 singles player Kayo Nebrzydowski, and the No. 2 doubles team of Nate Bouffard and Diego Sargent — all battled back after dropping the first set. Each match ended with Woodland winning the super tiebreaker to take the match.
Having the comeback trick in the hat is a good one, but McEvoy said he wants his players to work on finishing more efficiently.
“One area we are working on in upcoming matches is finishing points,” McEvoy said. “We are getting great results from everyone, but sometimes our points go on longer than necessary. We are actively working on putting away points in a faster, more efficient manner.”
Woodland was set to host Shepaug on April 21 and Naugatuck on April 22 before visiting Holy Cross on April 25.
