A-B breezes past No. 2 Andover
SCHOOLS
After not making tournament a season ago, Acton-Boxboro made a statement in the Division 1 North girls tennis final yesterday.
With a sweep of the singles and a thrilling threeset match in first doubles, the top-seeded Colonials took down No. 2 Andover, 4-1, at Newton South in blustery conditions.
“I think the wind was the equalizer today,” Acton-Boxboro coach Mike Gardner said. “It really neutralized us. We have a lineup full of shot makers and when the wind comes up, they can’t get their feet settled.
“But singles players did their jobs.”
After convincing 6-0, 6-0 sweeps for freshmen Ashleigh Parlman and Sahana Raman in second and first singles, respectively, it was third singles freshman Lindsay Ristaino that needed to rally back, not only from a 2-1 deficit in the second set, but also an illness.
“Our third singles player wasn’t feeling well and almost didn’t play at the last minute,” Gardner said.
Ristaino persevered and never looked back as she won the final five games to win the second set 6-2 after winning the first, 6-1.
The final point for Acton-Boxboro (17-0) was a victory in first doubles as senior captains Divya Iyenger and Pragathi Maroju defeated Andover’s Caroline Yang and Annette Kim, 6-2, 4-6, 10-6.
The Golden Warriors’ lone point came in second doubles with a 6-3, 6-0 win for Elia Petros and Anna Higgins over A-B senior duo Arushi Bhalchandra and Sameera Boppana.
Acton-Boxboro will face the winner of today’s Div. 1 South championship match between Wellesley and Brookline, in the state semifinals at Lexington Monday.
Andover finishes the season at 19-2.
Boys tennis
Jackson Luce won at second singles and Anton Kutsman followed suit at third singles as No. 9 Belmont (13-6) ousted No. 4 Medford, 4-1, in a Div. 2 North semifinal.
Max Schuermann, Lucas Minas and Dan Pomahac led a sweep in singles as No. 2 Dover-Sherborn defeated third-seeded Old Rochester, 4-1, in a Div. 3 South semifinal.