Warriors show no signs of rust, crush Melrose 4-1
GRACE HURLEY, a junior, played at third singles in Wakefield’s 4-1 victory over Melrose yesterday at the Crystal Street Courts. Hurley posted a 6-1, 6-1 triumph. (Donna Larsson photo)
MELROSE — Although the Wakefield Memorial High girls’ tennis team hadn’t played a match since April 15, the Warriors showed no signs of rust yesterday afternoon against Melrose as they cruised to a 4-1 triumph at the Crystal Street Courts.
Wakefield is now 3-2 on the season with the victory.
The win also came with the Warriors shorthanded. The Chapman sisters, Meghan and Abby, were still out of the lineup because of vacation and that resulted in Coach Kathy O’Malley moving her varsity lineup up a spot and having two JV players filling in at second doubles.
At first singles, Sarah Stumpf, a junior, posted a victory in a three-set contest against Lily Fitzgerald. Stumpf won, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Abby Murphy, a senior, played at second singles and posted a 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Hannah Butler.
Wakefield made it a clean sweep at singles as Grace Hurley, a junior, defeated Melrose’s Julia McLauglin by a 6-1, 6-1 tally.
The second doubles team secured the Warriors’ fourth point and that is where two JV players moved up and filled in nicely. The team of sophomore Jenna Mello and senior Solvi Helhoski took on the Red Raider duo of Isabel Bates and Cameron Pfieffer. Mello and Helhoski prevailed by a 6-0, 6-2 score.
The lone match Wakefield didn’t win was a first doubles were juniors Mollybeth Whitson and Darcy Drago moved up from second doubles. Whitson and Drago took on the Melrose tandem of Jess Doherty and Olivia Ziabatus. Whitson and Drago were defeated, 3-6, 1-6.
The Warriors take on Burlington tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Dobbins Courts. Also Wakefield’s matches against Reading and Wilmington have been rescheduled. The Warriors will face Reading on Thursday, May 21 at 3:30 p.m. at Reading High School and Wilmington on Thursday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. at the Textron Courts in Wilmington.
