Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs High School tennis coach Don Toy said Friday’s showdown against regional rival Aspen would reveal a lot about his team.

After the Sailors narrowly lost the dual, losing four of seven matches, he said it had told him a lot: His squad was improving, and come regionals, it’d be eager for a rematch.

“I told the team it doesn’t matter this time,” Toy said. “We’ll see them again at regionals, and we’ll get them there.”

Steamboat played strong matches up and down the roster but lost the dual when Aspen took the third set of a tight match at No. 3 doubles. There, Zach Dunklin and Joe Borgerding fell to Aspen’s Victor Robinson and Grant Goodman, 7-6 (8), 6-7 (0), 6-4.

Colin Green won for Steamboat at No. 1 singles, rolling to a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“Colin really played with heart,” Toy said. “He used his heart, and he’s learning how to win using his hands and his brain.”

Gabri Erspamer also won for Steamboat, going 6-2, 6-0 for a victory at No. 2 singles. Corbin Diehl and Ben Wharton, meanwhile, won a close match at No. 1 doubles, edging their Aspen opponents, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1).

“That came down to who could step up,” Toy said about the No. 1 doubles match. “Our guys stepped up and took it.”

Steamboat’s Quinn Cain and Nick Mathews lost, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles, and Matthew White and Aiden Gibbs fell, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 4 doubles.

The team is back in action starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at home against Evergreen.

“We’ll learn from this,” Toy said. “The team played really well, and the guys continue to improve. It’s been a lot of fun to watch them learn.”

To reach Joel Reichenberger, call 970-871-4253 or email jreichenberger@SteamboatToday.com