Hoover’s Late Singles Win Lifts Leopards Past Salem
Louisville 3, Salem 2
All the other courts were vacant, all the other matches were completed. All eyes remained on the final singles match between Anthony Hoover and Andrew Pietzrak that would decide the outcome of the entire contest. Hoover rose to the challenge with a 6-0 victory in the third set to take the match and give Louisville a 3-2 win over Salem moving them to 5-0 in the conference.
Hoover battled back after losing the first set 6-2 with a 6-3 win in the second set. Then, at the beginning of the third set, tensions rose. A ball that appeared to land just past the back line was called out of bounds by Hoover. Pietzrak contested the call, which led to both coaches coming into the match as line judges.
Pietzrak continued to contest the call and it resulted in two penalty points being awarded to Hoover putting him up 2-0 in the final set. With Leopards fans cheering him on from seemingly every angle, Hoover flourished in the moment and won the final four sets to take the match.
Salem swept the earlier two singles matches and Louisville swept both doubles contests to set up a showdown for the final singles match. Vince Burwell & Daniel Thompson won their doubles match for Louisville 6-2, 6-4 and Michael Thomas & Ryan Shepherd dominated their match 6-1, 6-1.
The Leopards are now 8-0 against the Quakers all-time. The victory leaves Louisville 7-1 overall and more importantly keeps them undefeated in the NBC at the midway mark of the conference schedule. The Leopards will host St. Thomas Aquinas in the battle for the 44641 on Wednesday before hosting the annual Louisville Doubles Classic Saturday morning.
LEOPARDS 3, QUAKERS 2
#1 Singles winner: Salem: Mitch Maroscher (S) d. Adam Sullivan (L) 6-0, 6-1
#2 Singles winner: Salem: Jay Linam (S) d. Jackson Frazier (L) 6-1, 7-5
#3 Singles winner: Louisville: Anthony Hoover (L) d. Andrew Pietzrak (S) 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
#1 Doubles winner: Louisville: Vince Burwell & Daniel Thompson (L) d. Marty Roth & Mark Fredrickson (S) 6-2, 6-4
#2 Doubles winner: Louisville: Michael Thomas & Ryan Shepherd (L) d. Billy Erksine & Kenna Bullard (S) 6-1, 6-1
Records: Louisville 7-1, 5-0
UPCOMING MATCHES: 4/18 Vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 4:00 | 4/21 LOUISVILLE DOUBLES CLASSIC, 9:00 | 4/23 @Ravenna, 4:00