Keokuk ends Fairfield boys' season

The Keokuk boys? tennis team showed its depth and knocked Fairfield out of the postseason Saturday in Fairfield.

Just days removed from the Southeast Conference meet, the SEC champion Chiefs took a 5-2 victory over Fairfield in the preliminary round of substate play.

Freshman Alexander Punj and junior Sean Soupiset won as expected for the Trojans, though the team couldn?t find a win elsewhere.

Punj maintained his perfect record at No. 1 singles with a straight-sets win over Dan Williams of Keokuk. Punj?s 6-2, 6-1 victory upped his 2012 record to 17-0.

Like Punj, Soupiset won in similar dominant fashion at No. 2, topping fellow junior Gabe Vandenberg 6-3, 6-1. Soupiset?s season ends with an impressive 14-2 record, all at the No. 2 spot.

With a 4-2 advantage following singles play, Keokuk needed one win in doubles to clinch the dual. They got it from Drake Reiter and Jacob Miller at No. 3 doubles prior to the conclusion of Nos. 1 and 2 doubles.

Though the season is over for Fairfield, Punj continues on to state singles, scheduled May 25-26 at Byrne?s Park in Waterloo.

Fairfield vs. Keokuk

Singles

1. Punj (FF) def. Williams (K) 6-2, 6-1

2. Soupiset (FF) def. Vandenberg (K) 6-3, 6-1

3. Barclift (K) def. Thorn (FF) 6-1, 6-3

4. Reiter (K) def. Price (FF) 7-5, 6-1

5. Clark (K) def. Martin (FF) 6-0, 6-3

6. Miller (K) def. Echeverria (FF) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles

1. Punj/Soupiset (FF) vs. Williams/Vandenberg (K) 6-3, 4-3 --

2. Barclift/Clark (K) vs. Thorn/Price (FF) 6-1, 5-4 --

3. Reiter/Miller (K) def. Martin/Echeverria (FF) 6-1, 6-2