KELSEYVILLE — The Kelseyville Knights beat the Clear Lake Cardinals 4-1 on Friday afternoon in Kelseyville, putting themselves in a position to win a share of the Coastal Mountain Conference tennis championship next week.
Kelseyville (5-1) has to travel to Middletown on Tuesday to play the undefeated Mustangs (7-0) before returning home next Friday to take on the Cloverdale Eagles, who pushed the Knights to the limit back on March 27 in Cloverdale.
“We only beat them 3-2,” Kelseyville coach Jeff McLaren said. “It wasn”t easy.”
Middletown handed Kelseyville its lone conference loss to date, also by a 3-2 margin, back on April 6 in Cloverdale.
“I think it”s going to be interesting to see how it all pans out,” McLaren said of the final week of the season. “It should be fun.”
The Knights had to shuffle their lineup the first time around against Middletown because a handful of regulars were unavailable that day, but Kelseyville will be at full strength Tuesday in the rematch.
“They”re fired up, ready to bring it,” McLaren said of his singles and doubles players.
On Friday against Clear Lake, the Knights notched victories in first and second singles and also won both doubles matches. The Cardinals” lone win came in third singles as K.C. White went the distance with Nancy Tannous, winning in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Keith Hulsey beat Veronica Freitas 6-1, 6-3 in first singles and Stuart Davy defeated Josh Herbert 6-1, 6-3 in second singles.
In doubles action, Kelseyville”s first-doubles team of David Van Buskirk and Evan Carpenter beat Nate Secrest and Tony Valdez 6-3, 6-3. In second doubles, Jill Bailey and Lauren Nixon were 6-2, 6-0 winners over Rawley Butler and Claire Mansell.
In an exhibition doubles match, Kelseyville”s John Kincannon and Luke Kriken beat Freitas and Tayler Whipple 6-2.
