By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
WEST NEWBURY — North Reading High girls’ tennis coach Matt Tiberii knew his squad faced an uphill battle on Tuesday afternoon as his squad faced two-time defending Division 3 state champion, Newburyport, in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 16 held at Pentucket Regional High School.
The Clippers beat the Hornets in both regular-season meetings and they also won this match as well, 5-0, on a sunny, warm day.
“I like their chances to make it three in a row,” said Tiberii, about the Cape Ann League Kinney Division champions. “They have five senior starters so they have the depth.”
At first singles, junior Althea Bradley fell to Harper Bradshaw 7-6 (7-5 in the tiebreaker), 6-2.
Freshman, Matilda Ton lost, 6-4, 7-5 at second singles to Carly McDermott.
Senior captain Vanessa Wright, at third singles, was upended by Bridgette Mellet, 6-0, 6-3.
In doubles play, the first team of senior captain Bhagy Bandara and junior Addison Stetson lost in three sets to Lauren Brennan and Janie Turgeon. Bandara and Stetson lost the opening set, 6-4, but won the second set, 6-4. They then lost the final set, 6-0.
The second doubles team of junior Aniya Taneja and sophomore Shenaya Verma lost, 6-3, 6-0 to Delaney Woekel and Elsie DeGrano.
“Our girls fought hard and we did well at first singles and doubles,” said Tiberii.
North Reading, the 15th-seed, ended the year at 10-10 with the defeat. Second-seeded Newburyport, meanwhile, improved to 16-3 as they advanced to the quarterfinals where they will take on Old Rochester.
In the first round on May 31, the Hornets edged guest Wareham 3-2. The Vikings, who were the 18th-seed, ended up at 15-3 with the loss.
“That was a great win for us,” stated Tiberii. “I was very proud of the girls.”
Bradley lost, 6-1, 6-1, to Brooklyn Bindas.
Ton won, 6-3, 6-1, against Julia McDuffy at second singles.
Wright won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, over Stoney Ferry at number three.
Bandara and Stetson lost to Evie Francis and Kiera Pierre as they won the first set 6-4, but lost the second one 6-4. They did a 10-game tiebreaker for the third set since the match was already decided and lost 11-9.
Taneja and Varma won at second doubles, 6-3, 6-1, over Juliana Statkus and Nevaeh Smith.
