Boston Lobsters edged in tiebreaker by Hartford - team ready for Houston on Wednesday
July 18, 2006 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Boston Lobsters News Release
July 18, AVON, CT- The Boston Lobsters needed only three more points against the Hartford FoxForce last night in Avon, CT to score their second consecutive win on the road this week, but were edged out in the end. Although the team score of 23-19 may not indicate it, the match came down to the last few points of the tiebreaker in the last set of the night.
Mixed doubles was tonight's first course with Thomas Blake and Kristin Schlukebir serving it up for the Lobsters against Meghann Shaughnessy and Goran Dragicevic of the Fox Force. The pairs traded service breaks until 3-4 when the Lobsters won a critical 3-all point (no-ad scoring is used in WTT) to extend the set into a tiebreaker. Boston fell 5-1 in the breaker and Hartford grabbed a 5-4 lead in the match.
With womens' singles up next, Pratt and Shaughnessy prepared to lock claws. The FoxForce opened up by nearly breaking Pratt's serve; going up 3-1. But the Lobsters' gritty gal from Down Under reeled off three straight points to take the first game, then broke Shaugnessy 4-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the set. Her FoxForce foe battled back to earn two service breaks and find herself serving at 4-3. Pratt battled back but fell 5-3 on the 3-all point to decide the set.
With Hartford leading 10-7, men's doubles then took center stage; pitting Blake and Amir Hadad against Dragicevic and Glenn Weiner. The Lobsters stayed on serve before the FoxForce pulled ahead for a 5-2 win.
In the penultimate set, with their team trailing 15-9, Lady Lobsters Pratt and Schlukebir squared off against Shaugnessy and Lisa McShea in womens' doubles and scored a 5-3 win to pull Boston back to only a four game deficit 18-14.
As often the case in World TeamTennis action, it all came down to the final set tonight where Hadad took on Weiner; if the Lobsters won the set, they would win the match. Play was halted briefly early during the set due to light rain. When play resumed, the Lobsters trailed but got back on serve at 2-3, before the match hung in the balance with a 4-all tiebreaker. Hartford won the breaker to win the set 5-4 and clinch the match. Final score: Boston- 19, Hartford- 23.
Lobsters coach Anne Smith commented on tonight's match, We fought really hard and played the best we could. Amir played really well in singles. We have five more matches and the team is planning on and ready to sweep them all.
The Lobsters confidently return home 1-1 after a three-day road trip. On Wednesday, July 19, tennis superstar Todd Martin joins the Boston team for his first WTT match ever when the Lobsters host the Houston Wranglers for what promises to be an exciting evening of tennis and entertainment.
Click here for Boston Lobsters tix info:
Todd Martin, Martina Navratilova and Great Musical Performances Headline Final Three Lobsters Home Matches
Wednesday, July 19- Todd Martin and The Boston Lobsters against the Houston Wranglers PLUS Kristine Hendricks
Kristine Hendricks is a truly multi- faceted vocalist. She has the rare talent to segue from Dance to R&B to power ballads with ease.
Teaming-up with top producer and writer Valentin, they formed the Dance/Pop duo QED. Well-crafted melodic hooks, complex rhythms, raw energy and crisp, high tech production became hallmarks of QED's music, seamlessly interweaving dance, electronic and pop genres.
Their second single, "Love Bites," (which is featured on this CD) reacted instantly on Dance Radio and pop stations like Kiss108 in Boston. The song became a club and radio anthem.
Their first album release "Mobius" encompassed trance, pop, rock ... and even a bit of opera sprinkled in. The third single off the album, "Islands," got the attention of Neutone Records here in the US. The song became their first Billboard hit, landing at #6 on the Dance Radio Airplay chart.
Now Kristine steps out on her own with her first solo single, a cover of the Jets classic, "You Got It All" (Next Plateau). Hear more Hendricks and Valentin at: http://www.qedmobius.com. --------------------------------------------------- Saturday, July 22 - Family Day - Todd Martin & the Lobsters Take on the New York Buzz PLUS Jillian Wheeler, McAlister Drive and much more!
Jillian Wheeler's musical prowess and talents belie her young age. Named one of PopStar! Magazine's hottest rising stars, Jillian has performed with some of today's most popular teen acts including JoJo, Hilary Duff, Aaron Carter, Gavin DeGraw, Bowling for Soup, Lil' Romeo, Nikki Flores, Ingram Hill, Stevie Brock, Angel Faith and many more.
Wheeler is an actress, singer and songwriter with an impressive resume and credits that most actors and singers only dream about. She has acted alongside award winning actors such as Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Molly Shannon, Holly Hunter, Lynn Redgrave, Sean Penn and Bill Murray.
This multi-talented young artist is also an award winning songwriter, having won the People's Choice Award and Honorable Mention Award in the teen category of the prestigious 2004 International Songwriting Competition for her song Guy Getter. She also won the NAPPA Music Web Award for her song Life is a Gamble. Visit rising star Jillian at www.jillianwheeler.com .
McAlister Drive is a Pop/Rock/Alternative band based in the Boston area. With their song for this album, "Got It Right" and other tracks on their new album, this group is ready to earn their place on the pop charts.
McAlister Drive was established over 5 years ago and have since been finishing school and recording their debut album piece by piece. Founder of the band, Christoph Krey, provides lead vocals, piano, and rhythm guitar. Brock Bouchard, on lead guitar, brings not only his musical talent but a technical expertise to the group. Bill Melanson, drummer and percussionist, offers a diverse musical background that includes many years of live performance and recording experience. Finally, Chris Cuomo is the bassist and backup vocalist, whose education at Berklee College of Music contributes to the band's creative edge.
Look forward to seeing much more of this talented foursome in the months to come! Take a spin on McAlister Drive at http://www.McAlisterDrive.com and look for their debut album, "Something to Sleep With," this summer! ----------------------------------------------------- Monday July 24 - Martina Navratilova and the Lobsters vs. the Delaware Smash PLUS...
Adam Joseph's music is a smart blend of soul and pop, catchy hooks and deep heartfelt lyrics.. This blue-eyed soul singer has exploded onto the scene with a debut that had music insiders comparing him to the likes of Anita Baker, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. His diverse background (hip hop + reggae + jazz + soul) vintage charm, and soft-spoken charisma all foster this old souls unique style of musicianship.
Adam has toured with Grammy Nominated artist Patti Austin, has performed in renowned venues such as The Blue Note New York, Lincoln Center (NYC) and was featured in the "OUT Magazine" November 2003 Issue.
Adam attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music where his aspirations solidified. His original band "The Elegant Children" was formed. He currently resides in New York City but can often also be seen in Boston, where he is a regular performer at a wide variety clubs and venues.
Adam recently completed a music video for "Flow With My Soul" (on this album). To see and hear more of Adam go to: http://www.adamjosephmusic.com.
Have a Heart and Support Some Great Charities by Purchasing "Claws for a Cause" CD Today!
With "Claws For A Cause", Boston Lobsters Charities, the WTT Boston Lobsters, and PM Events and Productions proudly offer the release of the Lobsters' official theme song, "Boston Lobsters Back In Town". The track leads off a unique and energetic compilation of performances donated from the talented and generous recording artists scheduled to appear during the Boston Lobsters 2006 season (including those featured in the above article).
All of the net funds raised from sales and downloads of Claws will be distributed through Boston Lobsters Charities towards youth tennis education and mentoring, breast cancer research and support, the fight against cystic fibrosis and to support, encourage and promote physical activity and positive health education for young girls.
Claws album producer, Boston Lobsters General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Peter Mandeau explains the story behind the CD. This started off as a small project to come up with a theme song for the team that would be fun for our fans, then grew into something much larger and more meaningful. Mandeau continued, As a member of Boston's sports and business communities, the CD is one of the ways that the Boston Lobsters hope to reach far beyond the tennis courts to make a contribution to and a difference in the world around us. We are all part of one big team."
Headlining the album is the smash hit "Love Bites" performed by Universal Records' Kristine Hendricks of QED. Claws for a Cause has something for everyone's musical tastes: pop, folk, reggae, salsa, dance, rock, neo-jazz and more!
Several of the organizations that will benefit through the Boston Lobsters Charities CD sales are: Tenacity, The Joey Fund, The Women's Sports Foundation, Tennis Against Breast Cancer, Boston Lobsters Youth Charities and others. For more information about the Boston Lobsters' affiliated charities see some of their stories highlighted on the CD jacket or go to: www.bostonlobsters.net/partners.
About Boston Lobsters Charities
Since it's inception in 2005, Boston Lobsters Charities (BLC) has contributed over $12,000 in funding, donated over 5,000 free youth tennis racquets (in partnership with World TeamTennis and Advanta), distributed hundreds of free tickets to professional tennis matches to kids and their families and increased awareness for a growing group of local, regional and national charitable organizations. To date, these diverse groups have included:
Boston Lobsters Charities' mission is to continue to reach out and support a variety of groups who are making a difference to their constituencies. Boston Lobsters' Chief Executive Office and Owner Bahar Uttam summarizes, When we brought the Boston Lobsters to town, one of our primary goals was to become an integral and responsible member of the City's professional and sports communities. Through the enthusiasm and generous support of our sponsors, partners, friends and fans along with the release of Claws for a Cause, Boston Lobsters Charities provides an avenue for us to strive to meet that goal.
World TeamTennis Stories from July 18, 2006
- Boston Lobsters edged in tiebreaker by Hartford - team ready for Houston on Wednesday - Boston Lobsters
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
