Hart, Smith only Pat victors in 5-2 loss

By Nancy LeedyColin Hart netted Lincoln’s only singles win and shared in it’s lone doubles victory in the Patriots’ 5-2 loss to visiting Danville Monday. Hart, Lincoln’s top-seeded player, opened the match by shutting out Danville’s Sam Nelson 8-0 in singles and he teamed up with Ethan Smith, Lincoln’s No. 2 player, to beat Nelson and Josh Joiner 8-3 in the No. 1 doubles match. However, it was all Admirals the rest of the way as Danville swept through the second- through fifth-seeded singles matches and claimed the win in the No. 2 doubles match.But Lincoln’s second- through fifth-seeded singles didn’t go down without a fight. Conner Playforth rallied to tie Michael Graves of Danville and turn an 8-set match into a 9-setter, Smith and Ethan Lasure both took five games before falling and Jake Combs picked up four games. Playforth was down 2-6 in the fourth-seeded match before battling back with four straight games to even the match at 6-6. Graves and Playforth were also tied at 7-7 before Graves went on to take the next two games for the 9-7 win.Smith bowed 8-5 to Michael McChesney at the two seed, Lasure also lost 8-5, bowing to Josh Joiner at three and Combs went down 8-4 to Michael Rankin at five.Complete results from the match were: Danville (D) 5, Lincoln Co. (LC)¿2at LincolnSINGLESNo. 1 - Colin Hart (LC) def. Sam Nelson (D)¿8-0; No. 2 - Michael McChesney (D) def. Ethan Smith (LC) 8-5; No. 3 - Josh Joiner (D) def. Ethan Lasure (LC)¿8-5; No. 4 - Michael Graves (D)¿def. Conner Playforth (LC)¿9-7; No. 5 - Jacob Rankin (D) def. Jake Combs (LC)¿8-4.DOUBLESNo. 1 - Hart/Smith (LC)¿def. Nelson/Joiner (D)¿8-3; No. 2 - Rankin/Graves (D) def. Lasure/Playforth (LC) 8-1.