After press time: North Reading defeats Pentucket 3-2 (May 2)

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH ANDOVER — On Tuesday afternoon, the North Reading High girls’ tennis team edged host North Andover, 3-2, in a non-league match. With that victory, the Hornets improved to 4-2 overall.

“This was an important win for us,” explained Hornets head coach Matt Tiberii. “They are a Division 1 team and we are in Division 3 so this really helps with the power rankings for the playoffs.”

At first singles, Althea Bradley won, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6 in the tiebreaker). Freshman Matilda Ton won in three sets, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 at second singles.

“That was the clincher,” pointed out Tiberii as that was the final match to finish. “It was a great win for her.”

Senior co-captain, Vanessa Wright, lost in three sets 3-6, 7-6 (7-3 in the tiebreaker) and 6-2.

In doubles action, the first team of senior co-captain, Bhagy Bandara, and Addison Stetson lost, 6-2, 6-1. However, the second team of Aniya Taneja and Shenaya Verma won in three sets, 6-1, 6-7 (7-2 in the tiebreaker) and 6-1.

The day before, the Hornets rolled over guest Amesbury, 5-0 to go to 3-2 in the Cape Ann League.

“They have all underclassmen and we were able to take advantage of that,” said Tiberii about the inexperienced Red Hawks.

Bradley won, 6-0, 6-1, while Ton won, 6-2, 6-2. Wright won, 6-0, 6-1.

Bandara and Stetson shutout their opponents, 6-0, 6-0, while Taneja and Verma won, 6-2, 6-0.

On April 26, the Hornets fell to the defending two-time Div. 3 state champions, Newburyport, 5-0 at home.

“They are not as good as they have been but they have five senior starters and are still very strong,” said Tiberii.

Bradley fell, 6-3, 6-0, while Ton lost, 6-3, 6-0, as well. Wright lost by matching 6-3 scores at third singles.

Bandara and Stetson were shutout, 6-0, 6-0, while Taneja and Verma fell, 6-0, 6-1.

On April 27, the girls’ Cape Ann League Open took place in Lynnfield. Of the eight teams there the Hornets came in sixth with 2.5 points.

Hamilton-Wenham won the event with 20 points.

“We have not had this event since 2018 so it was nice to have it back,” said Tiberii, as the 2019 event was rained out and then the pandemic hit in 2020 and the event was on the shelf until this year.

Bradley had the team’s best finish coming in fourth at first singles.

The April 24 match at Lynnfield was postponed and will be made up on May 23.

The schedule for the next week will be busy as the Hornets host Pentucket on May 2. They then play three matches in three days next week.

On May 6, they visit Rockport. The next day, they host Methuen in a non-league match. On May 8, they return to league play as they visit Triton. All four matches will start at 4 p.m.