By Cort Reynolds

ADA – The Ada High School boys tennis team was defeated by visiting local rival Bluffton 5-0 Monday, April 28 on a hot evening at War Memorial Park courts.

The Pirates improved to 8-2 with the victory, while the Bulldogs fell to 2-3 after the defeat.

“We lost a lot of decisive points, it wasn’t a complete blowout but not ideal,” said Ada head coach Carter Bivens.

Bluffton senior Branson Hilty and Ada senior Nathan Williams played a tough, long three-setter at first singles. Williams won the first set handily 6-2, but Hilty battled back to lead 6-5 in the second set. 

Williams then guttily staved off five set points in a long service game, and ultimately held serve to even the set at six-all when Hilty’s lob sailed just long. 

Hilty jumped to a 2-0 lead in the tie-breaker, and stretched the advantage to 5-1 on a forehand winner.

Williams knocked off a volley winner, but then made a forehand error. Hilty’s ensuing big serve was returned into the net to win the breaker 7-2 and the set, 7-6.

The foes then played a first-to-10-points tiebreaker to decide the third set. Hilty started off with a lob winner, and pulled ahead 3-1. The opponents then played the point of the match by trading several volleys at net before Williams slipped and Hilty hit a winner into the open court for a 4-1 edge.

But Williams rallied to win three straight points and tie it 4-4 on two errors and a drop-shot into the net. A backhand into the net gave Hilty a 5-4 edge, followed by a Williams point to tie it 5-5.

Hilty pulled back in front 7-5 after a forehand went awry. Hilty hit wide to make it 7-6. Hilty then hammered a nice overhead winner for an 8-6 advantage.

Williams returned a big serve into the net to get Hilty to match point. Hilty went for a big cross-court winner on a forehand return of serve, but it sailed just wide to keep Williams alive, down 9-7.

But then a backhand by the Ada senior southpaw went wide to end the match, 10-7.

Bluffton senior Jack Brauen defeated Justin Bowden at second singles 6-0, 6-3.

Pirate left-hander Nick Lovett beat Brandon Prater 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.

The Pirate duo of Grady Coonfare and Isaiah Kohli combined to sweep Luke Archer and Lawson Klingler 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles.  

The Pirate tandem of junior Hudson Phillips and Brayden McClure took down Sam Crawford and Mohamad Khalil 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.

Ada hosts Elida on Wednesday and entertains Van Wert on Thursday.