Saturday morning brought more than just postseason pressure to Vineyard girls tennis—brutal winds reaching up to 40 miles per hour challenged even the most seasoned players. But the Vineyard girls tennis team stayed grounded, both mentally and physically, as they opened their Division 3 state tournament with a strong 4-1 victory over Seekonk.

The Vineyarders, seeded third with a 15-1 regular season record, demonstrated the poise and depth that have made them a top contender. Despite the gusty conditions, they controlled the match from the outset.

At first singles, sophmore Laina Dubin set the tone, defeating Seekonk’s top player in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Freshman Charlotte Marshard followed with a composed performance at second singles, winning 6-1, 6-3.

“It’s all about winning point by point and not getting caught up with a single point,” Marshard said. “Our camaraderie really helps. We’re all good friends and spend time together outside of school, which makes our bond great.”

The team is seeded third in the tournament after notching a 15-1 record in the regular season. — Jonathan Fleischmann

Head coach Bill Rigali praised Marshard's efforts over the season.

“Having Charlotte being able, as a ninth grader, to step up and play two and have a solid record, that’s allowed us to really play strong in our doubles point,” he said.

Ellie Pennington fell in third singles, 2-6, 4-6, but the Vineyarders more than made up for it in doubles.

The top pairing of Leah Thomson and Zoe Treitman rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win, and the second doubles duo of Ella Moran and Clementine Zeender dominated their match, 6-0, 6-1.

Coach Rigali pointed to the team’s growth and mindset throughout the season, which saw the Vineyard double their win total from last year’s 7-9 campaign.

“We try to remind them to keep building on their fundamentals, stay grounded,” he said. “Whether you’re playing a superior or weaker opponent, you can always find something to work on. What’s special about this team is that they’ve done things the right way and improved greatly from last year.”

With the win, the Vineyarders advance to the round of 16, where they will once again have home court advantage when Boston Latin Academy on Tuesday at 3 p.m.