The Virginia Independent Conference boys’ tennis singles tournament was held at North Cross School in Roanoke, Virginia on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Top players from the Covenant School, Eastern Mennonite High School, Hargrave Military Academy, Liberty Christian Academy, Miller School of Albemarle and North Cross School played in the single elimination tournament.Cadet Rankin Horsley matched up against LCA’s Max Henderson for a difficult match on a still sunny morning that saw courtside temperatures climb from the 50’s into the low 80’s. Horsley and Henderson had each taken a match from the other during regular team play this season, so a balanced contest was expected. In a match that saw each player alternatively breaking and holding serve, the score bounced from 4-1 Horsley to 5-4 Henderson. At 7-all, Horsley was able to hold serve and battle to break Henderson to close the match 10-7. Horsley then advanced to the second round where he fell to eventual Tournament Finalist Michael Fleming of North Cross.
Across the draw, Cadet Turner Wall faced off against NCS’s Jack Fishwick. Fishwick’s unflappable calm and steady shot execution served him well in a match in which almost every game went to deuce and several ad points. Although Wall able to generate enough pressure to force these critical points, he was unable to sustain the momentum to fall with a lopsided 1-10 score that belied the efforts by both players. Wall received a bye for the first round of the consolation bracket and subsequently fell to Eastern Mennonite’s Wagner.
