Wolf netters Joey Lippo (left) and William Nelson, chasing a trip to state, won their opening match at districts Wednesday. (Connie Lippo photo)
There was a little something for everyone.
A broken string, a quick racket swap, rain (what a surprise), even some actual tennis being played.
After enduring the trip to Tacoma Wednesday, the Coupeville High School netters opened districts with a win, two losses and a match suspended due to moisture.
The best news came from senior doubles duo William Nelson and Joey Lippo, who overcame a disabled racket to wax Mason Rice and Hank Rogers of Vashon Island 6-4, 6-3.
Nelson borrowed teammate Nick Etzell’s stick to finish the match (his racket has since been restrung), but he might not have needed it, as Lippo promptly went on a run of service aces.
With the win, the duo advance to the semifinals Thursday, chasing their first berth at the state tourney next spring.
The top two finishers at districts, which pits the four best from the Olympic League against the four best of the Nisqually League, earn tickets to the big dance.
It’ll be a harder climb for Coupeville’s other players through the modified double elimination bracket, though.
Jakobi Baumann fell 6-0, 6-0 to Raghav Agrawal of Charles Wright Academy, while Etzell and Mason Grove were tipped 6-2, 6-1 by Wyatt Kepler and JJ Bogaard of Vashon.
While the doubles matches were played indoors, the singles matches were started outside, and rain threw that into havoc.
Coupeville’s other singles ace, Pedro Gamarra, was at 2-2 in the first set of his match with Zain Mian of CWA when liquid sunshine brought an early end to their tussle.
The tourney returns to action at 8 AM Thursday.
Coupeville Sports 