Sweet Home ends regular season 5-11

Sweet Home's Mike Guarino watches teammate Eric Daigler return the ball during the Panthers' 4-1 loss to Iroquois last Wednesday at Sweet Home. Guarino and Daigler play at first doubles. Photo by Amy Krakowiak Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

After splitting for a share of the ECIC Division II title last year, a much different Sweet Home boys tennis team finished 3-7 in league and 5-11 overall this spring.

Every starter from the 2007 team graduated.

"We have been inconsistent, which I guess was to be expected with the new lineup this year," said Sweet Home coach Brian Koziol. "I would've hoped for a .500 record and it was there for the taking. We lost a lot of matches 3-2. We lost to Iroquois the first time, 3-2, Hamburg, 3-2, and to West Seneca East the first time, 3-2. So, if you swing at least two of those three losses in our direction, we're 5-5 and probably feeling a little better. We lost a lot of individual matches in three sets, which again shows our lack of consistency. Hopefully it pays off in the years to come. I really enjoyed watching the progress of the young group and even the struggles that went with it. We were more competitive the second time through our league schedule, which was a good sign."

Koziol said Sweet Home's final regular season match last Friday at West Seneca East was exciting.

"Four of the five matches went to three sets and we won three of them," said Koziol.

Jon LoPresti won at second doubles 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Eric Daigler and Mike Guarino won at first doubles 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, in a 2½-hour match. Justin Pierce and Keith Weigand won at second doubles, 1-6, 6-2, 6-0. Sweet Home won 3-2.

Sweet Home also beat Lake Shore, 3-2, at Lake Shore on May 2, and lost to Williamsville East, 5-0, and Iroquois, 4-1 on May 5 and 7 at Sweet Home.

Corey O'Brien competed in the ECIC singles tournament on Monday at Lancaster.