Team 12 heads up to Golf, Illinois (if that isn’t heaven then there must be place called Paddle, Illinois – let me know where that is) to play the second place Glen View team. Our team is amped up and ready to play hard and dislodge the north shore team. Pulling into the club, the golf clubhouse could be the Augusta of paddle and the hut is an architectural compliment to the entire club featuring a stone fireplace and full bar. Upper 40’s, little wind, and a light drizzle from time to time – a perfect night for paddle.
Court 1 pairs up Swinney and Vinnie again vs. Ball and Patterson. Vinnie is pleasantly surprised that the taps are flowing when we arrive so he can properly lubricate before, during and after the match. In the first set, both teams hold serve all the way to 6-5 (good guys) and GE breaks their serve to win 7-5. Not to repeat last weeks mistake of only one can of swing oil during the match, Vinnie goes for a refill - very well played. The Glen View team is like an automatic lob feeder that paints the baseline on 3 out of every 4 lobs . . . unreal. Several points when on for what seemed like eternity. GE comes out aggressive in the 2nd set and quickly goes up two breaks. Vinnie goes for another refill. Once again, Swinney blacks out for about 10 minutes and suddenly Vinnie is serving for the match. GE 7-5, 6-1. Swinford sets a record for fastest consumption of 3 chicken quesadillas and 6 Harp.
GE 3, GV 0
Court 2 has Captain Lu and “Ground” Chuck Snyders paired up for a second time against Murphy and Schwalm. Not a lot on this match because I was distracted from an old guy in corduroys – more on this later. From what I did see, ground Chuck dug back hand screens like he was picking cherries and Lu was doing his thing keeping the ball in play and making timely drives. We go down 3-6 in set one and Captain Lu is beating himself up for not being aggressive enough which proves to be a difference maker in set 2 and we know up sets with a win 6-4. Set 3 is another story and the experience of the opponent takes us down 1-6. We later learn Murphy and Schwalm played series 9 last year and moved down to 12??? Good effort guys!
GE 4, GV 3
Court 4 goes on next featuring Terry Lew and Ciaran vs. Baine and some guy named “Unknown/Default”. After a pleasant warm up (if you know Ciaran – you know it would be no other way than “Pleasant”!) our boys moved over a court to play a retiree father and son team. I talked to the Dad for quite a while before the match and then told Lew and Ciaran that their opponent had little real experience and pointed out them out. Terry says to me “we’re playing the old guy in corduroys?” Unfortunately they sandbagged me and that was not what it seemed. The father/son team was solid and came out strong with a 6-1 win before we really knew what was happening. It seemed our guys were having difficulty finding any momentum with them. The second set saw GE battle tough to 2-2 but the Glenview team pulled away, winning the set 6-2.
GE 4, GV 6
Court 3 has Matt “Ratings” Nielsen and the Bushman again against “Wolverine” Mike Hamp and partner Don “Fran” Tarkington (he looked like him too!). We start warm ups where Ratings is hitting with Fran and Bush is hitting with ‘lil Michigan boy Hamp – I quickly pick up that this kid has a huge tennis background. Michigan boy is driving hard with forehands and back hands and has great touch at the net. Before we start, I tell my partner to be aware that this kid will drive both sides. I can’t tell you what games we won and lost but when set 1 is over we go down 2-6. Matt takes a break and tries to fire me up – I’m pissed going down so badly . . . Little boy Blue smashed our serves continually and we never hit any screens. Set 2 we come out more focused but quickly go down 1-3. At this point something has to change so I go to my spin serve which throws our opponent for a loop. With Matt serving, we switch to the “I” formation and that too messes them up. We see-saw to a 6 all tie and take it in the tie break 7-3. Third set unfortunately is much like the first and we go down 2-6 again. We learn later Lil Boy Blue was a Wolverine tennis stud – he killed us. Next time we need to bring alone team IV’s can of Whoop Ass!
GE 5, GV 9
We all settle in the awesome hut to very good hosts with lots of discussion of all the matches. The atmosphere in the hut was great with tons of stories and laughs. Most guys say it was the most fun match we had but bringing home a victory would have truly made it taste good. Vinnie goes on to say he had wished his match would of gone 3 sets so he could have played more . . . A few pick up games were played with Harp in hand – if not our heads.
After 7 matches we hold on to the last playoff spot. We’ve played the top teams thus far so a break in the schedule is coming.
Rick
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