Sopcic blazes to East Championship!

TR refuses to quit… takes three in the 2nd! 

Colby Park, Windsor Heights, By Steve England, ESVN - Sopcic remains undefeated, as he wins the East Championship!  With this latest victory, Sopcic enters the playoffs with a first round bye!  Sopcic is now only three victories from winning the big title!

photos by Kyle Schewe

Today's Regional Championship match with TR was yet another scorcher!  The heat index hovered around 110°, but the temperature did not slow the hopes of these two players!  Sopcic hoping to go undefeated, and TR with dollar signs in his eyes! Yes, the bounty for beating the Croatian Sensation has recently gone up!  Now officially totaling $80 (with the addition of Sopcic's own father), like Apple Stock... it's expected to keep climbing!

The first set was all Sopcic - from service winners, to overhead slams, to the brown-eye (a retreating two-handed reverse overhead lob), TR faced little chance against the force unleashed against him.  Sopcic shuts Ted out 6-0 in the first!

Sopcic made numerous unforced errors in the second.  One can only guess if it was the heat, or was he too complacent with his convincing first set shutout?  Despite his errors, Sopcic gets a favorable bounce on a ball striking the netcord to take a 3-0 lead.  Sopcic appears so confident at this point, that while waiting for a lob to return to earth... Sopcic noticeably contemplates a slam, but reconsiders!  Sopcic then (as if in slow motion), turns his back on the net to execute a brown-eye!  Sopcic then volleys so hard... that Ted half-volleys from behind the baseline for a passing shot as Sopcic approaches the net!  Ted avoids a second set shutout, then benefits from several Sopcic errors after an outstanding lob to close to 3-2!  Sopcic now slams a service winner at Ted!  Ted's service return was a home run, as the ball sailed over the fence! Sopcic then breaks Ted at love with a winner deep to the left baseline!  Sopcic leads 5-2, and is now serving for the match when out of the blue he double-faults!  His next serve is thunderous... but Ted blocks it back high!  Sopcic attempts a brown-eye, but this failed!  Sopcic then slams long, and puts the next one into the net!  Ted takes the game, and closes to 5-3!  The last game was competitive as well... tied 30-30, TR hits wide, then gives Sopcic a chance for a slam.  Sopcic slams it home!  Sopcic wins the East Championship 6-0,6-3!

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