Spring-Ford’s Pascual and Schweitzer team up, win PAC-10 gold
GRATERFORD – Instead of being pitted against one another during the Pioneer Athletic Conference singles championships a few weeks ago, Spring-Ford’s Patrick Pascual and Ryan Schweitzer were teamed up for the PAC-10 doubles competition this weekend at Perkiomen Valley High School’s courts.
This time Pascual and Schweitzer were able to mesh their talents toward a common goal and the final results proved just fine for the Spring-Ford faithful.
Pascual and Schweitzer made quick work of Methacton’s tandem of Justin Baman and Subanik Purkyashtra Saturday afternoon, winning the gold-medal match by a 6-1, 6-2 score.
“I am just very happy for my good friend, Ryan,’ said Pascual. “I was thinking how bad he wants the gold, too. I wanted it for myself, too. Momentum carried us all the way through the tournament.’
The Rams were able to blend powerful serves with effective ground strokes to control the match. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set by virtue of a pair of service breaks and never looked back in recording the victory.
“It is the first time we played doubles together,’ said Pascual. “But we are like brothers. It really helps.’
“We kept up the whole match,’ said Schweitzer. “We had positive energy the whole match. We practiced the week prior to the tournament.’
Game four went to deuce with Methacton prevailing to make it 3-1. But then the Rams reeled off three straight games, breaking Baman’s serve at 30-40 to seal the first set.
Pascual held service in the opening game of the second set to take the lead at 40-30 despite a double fault in the game. The Rams captured four consecutive points for a service break in game two. They were only denied in game three that went to deuce and game seven that also went to deuce with Schweitzer serving. The Rams completed the match by taking the ensuing game.
Pascual and Schweitzer will lead a three-team contingent into the District 1 Tournament next weekend at Healthplex.
Despite the setback in the finals, the Warriors were also pleased with their showing in the two-day event.
“We’ve played well since the start of the tournament,’ said Baman. “We started practice and playing a week ago. We played really well throughout the tournament. We only dropped three or four games in the tournament yesterday (Friday). We had good chemistry.’
Baman felt Scweitzer’s hard, left-handed serves were especially difficult to handle, combined with the skills of PAC-10 singles champion Pascual at the baseline as well as at the net.
“If we had played them yesterday, we would have been more solid,’ said Baman. “We were better yesterday.’
Purkyashtra is just a freshman so he is new to these PAC-10 postseason battles. But he showed he knows how to handle himself under pressure. Pascual said he expected as much since the youngster has USTA experience under his belt, like the rest of the tennis standouts
.”They (Rams) are a good team,’ said Purkyashtra. “Their net game was pretty solid.’
NOTES
Owen J. Roberts’ tandem of Utkosh Pandey/Ethan Gelting placed third with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Phoenixville’s duo of Luke Lombardi/Bobby Newman. … In the fifth-place match, Methacton’s second team of Max Schneider/Ryan Hamilton won a 6-4, 6-4 verdict against Perkiomen Valley’s Luke Pain/Alex Dove. … Spring-Ford coach John Brennan served as tourney director. … Owen J. Roberts athletic director Dave Strock oversaw the tourney as boys tennis liaison during the spring season for the final time since he will be retiring in January 2015 after spending 32 years in the Bucktown school district. Strock has been associated with the PAC-10 since OJR joined the circuit two years after its inception in 1988 and also spent time with the old Ches-Mont League prior to that time. Strock is currently the longest-tenured AD in the loop.
