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PLAINS TWP. — The first set was key to the Patriots tennis team’s success Tuesday against Coughlin.

All three singles players and the No. 1 doubles team all won first sets. In the end, that led to the team’s first win of the season — a 3-2 decision over the Crusaders.

This was the first win for first-year Pittston Area coach Amanda Waskavich.

“It was very exciting to get the win,” Waskavich said. “The kids were excited. I thought they played a great match.”

Christian Charney won his first set 6-3. He quickly finished off Coughlin’s Mike Klimek, 6-0, to take the win. Jason Homschek took down Coughlin’s Pavel Svintozelskiy, 6-4, 6-2.

Jonathon Durling’s match against Sam Sebia, however, was a dandy. Durling won the first set in a 7-5 tiebreak. He dropped the second set before claiming the final set, also in a tiebreak.

“The kids are working very hard,” Waskovich said. “We’re getting better every match and that’s all I can ask for. We’ll keep working hard. That match was close all the way. One moment we were ahead and the next we were behind.”

Waskavich credits the work the team puts in on the first set to the success they are finding.

“We talk about consistency a lot,” she said. “The first set is just the start. Once you get that out of the way things are going to work out.”

While both doubles teams lost for Pittston Area, James Galonis and Nick Alfano also won the first set against Coughlin’s Frank Castellana and Matt Frankelli. Eventually, the duo fell, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6.

On Monday, the Patriots fell to Berwick, 5-0.

Pittston Area will get back to action this week with two home matches and one away. The Patriots host Hazleton on Tuesday and MMI Prep on Thursday. The team will travel to Dallas on Wednesday.