By MATT GOLDBERG
Herald-Whig Sports Writer
It was Karl Duesterhaus and Shane Terwelp's final chance.
The last time the pair would have a shot at defeating the Quincy High School boys tennis team.
And the Quincy Notre Dame duo's last opportunity to pad its resume heading into today's sectional seed meeting.
Duesterhaus and Terwelp combined for three of QND's points in the Raiders' 7-2 victory Tuesday at Reservoir Park.
It is the first time since May 3, 2004, that the Blue Devils fell to the Raiders, ending QHS's six-match winning streak in the cross-town rivalry.
"Four years have gone by and it seems like every year we come in and we lose 9-0," Terwelp said. "(QHS) always has the upper hand."
Not on Tuesday.
"As soon as I came off from my singles match and I found out that (No. 3 singles player Scott Niemann) won I just couldn't stop smiling," Duesterhaus said.
Even though the Raiders clinched the victory by winning five of six singles matches, suspenseful competition remained in the middle courts during doubles play.
In No. 2 doubles, QND's Duesterhaus and Terwelp defeated QHS's Matt Bier and Garrett Garner 6-4, 4-6, 10-6. It is the QND duo's first time this season winning in a match tiebreaker situation.
"I didn't think I could get happier after that singles match," Duesterhaus said. "... But winning that doubles match was a big boost for us going into sectionals (on May 16)."
Niemann came away with a dramatic 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 win over two-time doubles state qualifier Fran Cortez.
That come-from-behind win clinched the victory for QND.
Niemann trailed 6-2 in the super tiebreaker and won eight of the last nine points to win the pivotal match.
"I've never been one to really get down on myself," Niemann said. "So when I'm looking at a score of 2-6 in a third-set tiebreaker I'm thinking, 'You know what? It's not going to help to get discouraged. You just got to keep playing your game as I had been the entire match.'"
Niemann rattled off four straight points to even the super tiebreaker at six-all and scored four of the final five to seal the win.
Cortez exacted his revenge later.
Teaming with fellow senior Isaac Fee, Cortez knocked off Michael Bergstrom and Niemann 6-1, 6-2 in their No. 1 doubles match.
Fee had a hand in all of the Blue Devils' points. He tallied QHS's only singles win, a 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory against Bergstrom in No. 2 singles play.
"It feels good but I was hoping for more out of my team just cause we beat (QND) every year," Fee said. "I just tried to be consistent and just hit my shots when they were open to me."
QHS plays at Springfield today.
QND doesn't have another match until May 16 -- the first day of sectionals.
-- mgoldberg@whig.com / 221-3367
