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Never
let it be said that the players in
Richmond don't take their tennis games
seriously! The 2007 Anthem
Challenge came down to the very
last battles on the outdoor courts at
Westwood where CCV's 5.0 mixed and men's
teams fought for the big "2"
needed to even up the score with Robious.
Robious, a club that has never won the
title, completed all of its matches first,
and team members realized a victory was
within reach when Robious defeated CCV
late in the day in a 4.5 Mixed
match-up.
"When
I realized that we were in first place and
might actually win it, I thought I was
going to throw up," said Robious Head
Pro Laura Tuchscherer.
Trailing
4 other teams on Saturday, an amazing
Sunday moved Robious into the leader's
spot. Robious lost only 4
matches on the final day. CCV lost
9, but had had more consistent wins
throughout the tournament, including what
would turn out to be the important
match-ups between it and Robious.
With
the CCV teams winning at 5.0, the clubs
were tied at 108 points (with ACAC next at
106). According to the Anthem
Challenge rules set up years ago, the tie
is broken by looking at the six matches
played by the two clubs over the three day
period. CCV won 4 of the 6 matches,
allowing the ecstatic club to claim the
title for the second year in a row.
Coming
so close and not holding the cup was
disappointing, but Robious members looked
to their success as a reason for
confidence in the future. "I'm
very proud of my players," said
Tuchscherer. "They gave 100%
every day. To be this close is a
testament to their hard work and
camaraderie."
CCV Captain Tom Wallace summed up his
feelings about keeping the Anthem Cup for
one more year: "This weekend is
a celebration of tennis in Richmond.
It doesn't get any better than this."
Final
Results: 108 points, CCV and
Robious; 106 points ACAC; 104 points
Woodlake and Westwood; 100 points Raintree;
97 points Hermitage and Salisbury; 96
points Burkwood; 92 points Willow Oaks; 89
points Dominion; 87 points Midlothian |
