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North Reading falls to Lynnfield 4-1 (May 10)

 

Published May 9, 2024

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — The North Reading High girls’ tennis team won its fourth-consecutive match on Monday afternoon as they blanked host Rockport 5-0.

With the victory, the Hornets improved to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the Cape Ann League.

At first singles, Althea Bradley won 6-1, 6-0 while freshman Matilda Ton won, 6-1, 6-0 as well at second singles.

Sophomore Juliet Wasilewski, made her season debut and won, 6-1, 6-2 at third singles.

In doubles play, the first team of senior co-captain, Bhagyavi Bandara and Addison Stetson won 6-3, 6-2.

At second doubles, the debut for Karina Mountain and Shriya Upadhyay was a success as they won, 6-2, 6-3. Mountain is a junior while Upadhyay is a sophomore.

“It was good to get some new girls into the lineup and they all came through,” said Hornets head coach Matt Tiberii.

On May 2, the Hornets edged guest Pentucket 3-2.

Bradley won 6-0, 6-1, while Ton won, 6-2, 6-1. Sophomore Mary Doble played at third singles as senior co-captain, Vanessa Wright, was ill, and she lost, 6-0, 6-1.

“That was Mary’s first match,” pointed out Tiberii. “Vanessa also was sick the match before.”

Bandara and Stetson lost, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1) in the tiebreaker and 10-8.

“With the match already decided at that point they played a 10-game set in the final one,” explained Tiberii.

The second team of Aniya Taneja and Shenaya Verma won, 6-3, 6-0.

“Overall, this match was very competitive,” said Tiberii. “It was made harder with Vanessa out.”

On May 1, the Hornets edged visiting Malden Catholic 3-2 in a non-league match.

Bradley lost, 6-1, 6-2, while Ton won, 6-2, 6-4. Sophomore, Maddy Barnes-Felix, made her season debut playing third singles and she lost, 6-0, 6-1.

Bandara and Stetson clinched the match in a tough three-setter. They lost the first set, 2-6, and won the second one, 7-6 (7-4 in the tiebreaker). In the final set, they won, 6-3.

“That was a huge win for them,” stated Tiberii. “They got off to a slow start but jelled in the final two sets.”

Taneja and Verma won, 6-0, 6-2 in second doubles.

On May 10, the Hornets host Lynnfield. They then go to Ipswich on May 13 and welcome Newburyport on May 15.

All three matches will start at 4 p.m.

With their win against Rockport, the Hornets are seeded 16th in the MIAA power ranking for Division 3. The top 32 teams, at the end of the regular season, automatically qualify for the state tournament.