PRINT ADS

Alex Sanjari’s tennis match began shortly before 4:30 p.m.

It ended shortly after 7:30 p.m.

Sanjari’s marathon competition was the deciding match that lifted Tomah to a 4-3 non-conference victory at Reedsburg Tuesday. Sanjari and Brent Landon exchanged tiebreaker wins in the first two sets before Sanjari took control and won the third set, 6-1.

“Number-three singles -- that was the match of the day,” Tomah coach Brent Nicol said. “It was three hours worth of tennis.”

It was a big victory for the Timberwolves, who were missing two of their varsity starters.

“This one is a momentum builder,” Nicol said. “We were able to go down there and win with an altered lineup. It’s a pretty promising start.”

Sanjari’s match wasn’t the only compelling one. The number-two doubles team of Tyler Welch and Jacob Patterson bounced back from a loss in the first set to defeat Tony Koch and Tanner Haun.

Dan Laylan won a tiebreaker in the first set at number-one doubles to gain a victory, while Sean Rezin posted Tomah’s most dominating victory by winning 12 of 14 sets at number-two singles.

Because of the long matches, Nicol said Wednesday’s practice was a “little more casual than usual.”

Tomah’s schedule gets intense over the next three weeks with six matches or invitationals over 18 days. The Mississippi Valley Conference opener is April 10 at defending MVC champion La Crosse Aquinas. The first home match is April 15 vs. Onalaska.