CSH narrow win shows Syosset not far behind

The highly anticipated regular-season rematch of last year’s Nassau Boys Tennis Championship between Cold Spring Harbor and Syosset did not disappoint.

Cold Spring Harbor needed a dramatic come-from-behind victory at third doubles to  edge Syosset at home Thursday, 4-3, keeping its dominant three-year winning streak alive.

After splitting the first two sets at third doubles, Cold Spring Harbor’s Tim Schneir and Nick Stammatos trailed 1-4 in the final set against Syosset’s Henry Tell and Riki Ishikawa. Schneir and Stammatos rallied to win the next five games to take the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, and clinch the victory for Cold Spring Harbor (6-0, 5-0 Conf. I).

In addition to the win at third doubles, the Seahawks took home the top two singles matches and the first doubles match, while Syosset won at third singles and second and fourth doubles.

“Tim Schneir came to the net a lot and [Stammatos] had a lot of nice deep shots and they pulled that one out,” Cold Spring Harbor coach Paul Poschmann said.

Cold Spring Harbor beat Syosset in last year’s Nassau Championship 6-1, but both Poschmann and Syosset coach Shai Fisher said that Thursday’s results show how the two teams are more competitive this season, and remain strong contenders to return to the county title match.

“I’ve got to give it to Syosset, they’re a good team,” Poschmann said. “This kind of woke us up a little bit because it came down to the end. It was a good test.”

“It’s not like in previous years when you’d show up to play [Cold Spring Harbor] and not expect to win. Our team is definitely deeper than it was last year and we’re much closer than we’ve been in previous years,” Syosset coach Shai Fisher said. “It was a very close match, it was intense, and hopefully we’ll get them next time.”

Syosset (4-1) will next host Cold Spring Harbor on May 2, in its penultimate match of the regular season.