The Bromfield boys advanced to first place in the Midland-Wachusett B League this past week, shutting out Groton-Dunstable Regional 5-0 in a May 6 match on their home court. It was the team’s ninth straight victory.
Michael Mao returns a backhand in the longest match of the day, in which he played doubles with Douglas Caroom. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
The match got underway shortly after 3:30 p.m., but the start of the first singles match between Bromfield senior Tim Khuu and Groton-Dunstable sophomore Ayush Chaudhary was delayed so Khuu could finish a three-and-a-half-hour AP Chemistry exam. Typically, first singles is among the first matches played on Bromfield’s four courts, but Monday’s was the last, finishing shortly before the town clock chimed 6 p.m.
The longest match of the day was played out on court 4 between Bromfield’s second doubles team of Michael Mao and Douglas Caroom and Groton-Dunstable’s Daniell Lehman and Daniel McNally. Bromfield won the first set 6-3 but lost the second 2-6. With the third and final set tied 6-6 after a total of nearly two and a half hours of play, the coaches agreed to decide the match with a final tie-breaking game, which Mao and Caroom won.
The third singles match between Bromfield’s Aadi Ravindran and Groton-Dunstable’s Brandon Richard was halted briefly so Bromfield coach Carlson Beale could remove a quarter-sized baby turtle from the court, which he then carried to Barba’s Point.
The boys have been defeated only once this season in a nonleague match against longtime rival Sutton. Bromfield is 11th in the latest MIAA Division 4 boys tennis power rankings. With a 9-1 season record, Bromfield is certain to qualify for the upcoming regional and state championships.
On Tuesday, May 7, the boys added to their string of victories, beating Littleton 4-1, their 10th straight win.
Bromfield vs. Groton-Dunstable, May 6
- First singles: Tim Khuu (Bromfield) defeated Ayush Chaudhary (Groton-Dunstable), 6-2, 6-2
- Second singles: Thaman Surya (Bromfield) defeated Wen Luo (Groton-Dunstable), 6-0, 6-0
- Third singles: Aadi Ravindran (Bromfield) defeated Brandon Richard (Groton-Dunstable), 6-3, 6-1
- First doubles: Evan Burek and Ryan Donahoe (Bromfield) defeated Stephen Chen and Keiran Frederick (Groton-Dunstable), 6-3, 6-1
- Second doubles: Michael Mao and Douglas Caroom (Bromfield) defeated Daniell Lehman and Daniel McNally (Groton-Dunstable), 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
