A-B heads back to state final
GIRLS TENNIS
For the first time since winning back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013, Acton-Boxboro is returning to the Division 1 state final after a convincing 4-1 win over Brookline yesterday at Lexington High.
Acton-Boxboro won handily in all three singles and also won second doubles.
“It goes in cycles, but we’ve been thinking about this last year with these freshmen coming up,” said Colonials coach Mike Gardner. “I never thought they would be this good though. It’s very rewarding.”
Freshman Ashleigh Parlman won the third point for the Colonials (180) as she took down Isidora Beslic 6-1, 6-1. In the other singles, freshman Lindsay Ristaino won 6-0, 6-3 and classmate Sahana Raman won the fourth and final point 6-3, 6-3.
The senior captain tandem of Sameera Boppana and Divya Iyengar defeated Rebecca Schein and Liliana Lines 6-2, 6-0 to win second doubles.
Martha’s Vineyard 4, Winchester 1— Victoria Scott put the exclamation point on Div. 2 by winning an epic second singles duel with Katharine Dougherty in a tiebreaker, 1-6, 7-5, 10-6, as Martha’s Vineyard captured its fourth consecutive state title.
“It really felt amazing,” Scott said. “Just having my whole team there cheering me on helped incredibly. It was just so great to have all the hard work we put in through the year finally pay off.”
Martha’s Vineyard (20-0) received stellar performances from Hannah Rabasca in third singles (61, 6-0) and Kat Roberts and Lizzie Williamson in first doubles (6-3,
6-1). Kelly Klaren sealed things at first singles (6-1, 7-6) against Sachems star Julia Thompson. Winchester’s Taylor Kenrich and Lauren Chilton won at second doubles.
Manchester Essex 5, Ursuline 0
— Manchester Essex dealt with a postponement, a traffic delay and a shortened warm-up time before starting the Div. 3 state semifinal. Once it got going, the Hornets performed like there were no reasons to be distracted.
The North champions (19-3) blanked South champ Ursuline (136), moving to the program’s first state final appearance in six years.
Manchester Essex bookended the points needed for victory in the doubles, getting the first point as Chanel and Christina Bullock posted a 6-0, 6-0 decision. No. 2 doubles Andrea Rennie and August Khale delivered a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory.
The second point came at No. 1 singles as sophomore Olivia Mariotti beat Margaret Dailey 6-0, 6-2. Stephanie Pratt and Bridget Miller had lengthy wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively.
With the shutout, Manchester Essex have outscored four opponents 20-0 in the tournament.