Fairfield boys tennis nipped by Grayhounds, blast Bloodhounds

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield boys tennis team battled a pair of Southeast Conference teams on back-to-back days. The Trojans fell 5-4 against Burlington on Monday, but bounced back with a 9-0 win over Fort Madison on Tuesday.

It was a tough loss for the Trojans on Monday. Fairfield nearly knocked off the first-place Grayhounds but a handful of nail-biting losses were the difference.

Fairfield won two matches in singles. Brendon Marcellus came back for a 3-6, 6-2, 11-9 win in the No. 3 match, and Jack Unger rolled 6-1, 6-0 in the No. 6 match.

No. 1 player Garrett Flanagan lost 6-3, 6-3 in his singles match. Jace Hannes dropped a tough No. 2 match 3-6, 6-3, 8-10. Dil Hurlin fell 4-6, 6-4, 13-1-1 in the No. 4 match, and Aidan Flanagan dropped the No. 5 match 7-5, 7-5.

The Trojans needed to win all three doubles match to pull it out. Fairfield’s No. 1 team of Garrett Flanagan and Hanes did win, grinding out a 2-6, 7-6, 7-4 victory. The No. 3 team of Aidan Flanagan and Unger rolled 6-0, 6-0, but Marcellus and Hurlin were narrowly edged in the No. 2 match, falling 8-6, 4-6, 10-5.

The Trojans wasted no time in jumping on the Bloodhounds on Tuesday. Out of six matches played, Fairfield swept five of them. The Trojans also swept 11 of 12 sets.

In the No. 1-3 singles matches, Garrett Flanagan, Hannes and Marcellus all rolled to 6-0, 6-0 victories. Hurlin won 6-2, 6-0 in his singles match, and the next two matches were forfeited by the Bloodhounds.

In doubles, Garrett Flanagan and Hannes won 6-0, 6-0 in the No. 1 match. Aidan Flanagan and Unger followed suit with a 6-0, 6-0 win in the No. 2 match, and the Bloodhounds forfeited the No. 3 match.

Fairfield is now 4-5. They will host Mt. Pleasant (5-2) on Thursday.