The spring season has seen the Greenwich High School boys tennis team register a record of 18-0 and victory No. 18 gave the squad what has narrowly eluded it since 2014 – the FCIAC Tournament championship.

The Cardinals continued their undefeated season in championship style, winning the FCIAC title for the first time since 2014 by pulling out a well-earned 4-3 victory over rival Darien in the conference final, held at Wilton High School on Tuesday.

Top-seeded Greenwich, coached by Ray Marschall, has now captured 17 FCIAC Tournament titles. Since winning the conference championship in 2013, capping a run of three consecutive title-winning seasons, the Cardinals had lost in the finals three times (2015, 2016, 2018), but this GHS team completed their mission.

The championship matchup between the Cardinals and Blue Wave featured outstanding tennis both in singles and doubles play.

“It seems that we and Darien bring out the best in each other,” Marschall said. “There’s so much respect between the players. It was a very close match with just a couple of points and games here and there making the difference.”

With the match tied at 3-3, the deciding match was at third doubles. Junior Bruce Lunder and sophomore Alexander Salib were victorious at No. 3 doubles for Greenwich against their Darien foes, winning their exciting three-set match, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, giving the Cardinals the championship.

“I have been impressed with this GHS team all season,” Marschall noted. “But today, the level of tenacity, poise and ability to make mid-match changes was truly on display.”

In singles action, Cardinals senior Dylan Atkinson won the first set in a tiebreaker at the No. 1 spot, 7-6 (6), then notched a 6-2 win in the second set.

“Atkinson at first singles, took a while to find his footing and after the first set tiebreaker, went on to win the second set, 6-2,” Marschall said.

Darien received a victory from senior Sam Donnelly at second singles. Donnelly defeated Greenwich freshman Volodymyr Dombrovskyi, 6-3, 6-4. In the No. 3 singles matchup in the FCIAC final, senior Kyle Patrick of the Blue Wave was a 6-3, 6-2 winner against Cardinals senior David Karetsky.

“Dombrovskyi at second singles, as well as Karetsky at third met their prior opponents and played far better today,” Marschall noted.

Sophomore Manuel Galli Specos gave the Cards a key win at fourth singles. He recorded a 7-6, 6-3 win at the No. 4 spot for GHS. In doubles action, Greenwich seniors Cai Jain and Nick O’Brien lost for the first time all season at the No. 1 spot.

Darien senior Will Donnelly/Aidan White posted a 6-2, 6-3 win against Jain and O’Brien, who have helped power Greenwich’s outstanding doubles lineup.

Junior Harrison Wolfe and sophomore Rohan Mittal cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Cardinals, continuing their standout season. Greenwich’s second and third doubles teams are undefeated on the season, while Jain and O’Brien at No. 1 have lost just once.

Greenwich also edged Darien during the regular season, 4-3.

“They left it all on the courts, both physically and mentally,” Marschall said of his squad. “I’m so happy for the whole squad.”

With another FCIAC Tournament title in Greenwich’s possession, the team will now look to win the CIAC Class LL championship.