Making school history for the second time in two weeks, the undefeated regional high school girls’ tennis team steamrolled its way to the finals of the division three state tournament this week.
The Vineyarders clinched a spot in the final match of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament by defeating Lynnfield 3-2 Wednesday afternoon. The match was played at Lexington High School; the girls will now play Hopedale Friday at 2:30 p.m. at St. John’s Prep in Shrewsbury for the state title. Hopedale is the winner of the central section title in division three.
The Vineyard girls team, which has been attracting attention all spring, had earned a spot in the state semifinals after a 3-2 victory over Dover-Sherborn last Friday. The win earned them a trophy as champions in the south section for division three, also a first in the history of high school girls’ tennis on the Vineyard.
In that section title match, played on the courts at Old Rochester Regional High School, it came down to Kat Roberts’s victory at number two singles. Samantha Potter logged the Vineyard’s first win, defeating her hard-hitting, left-handed opponent handily at number one singles. “My game plan was to win,” the senior and class valedictorian said later. “I also knew I had to keep on winning because when the girls on courts two and three look over and see my score that pumps everyone up. I just wanted to get the win for the team,” she said.
Her game plan worked. Kat and Lizzie Williamson both went down in their first sets, only to regain the territory they had lost and help the team sweep in singles for the overall win. Lizzie, who was down 2-4 in her first set, came back to defeat her opponent 6-4, 6-0. “I was very stressed out going in to the match,” she said. “I was emotional on the bus and was thinking a lot on court. Finally I just thought I am going to win this. I started killing it and playing more aggressively. I looked over at Sam and saw she was up 5-0 and said okay I need to win this because my team needs me. If she is killing it like this, I need to kill it like this.”
Earlier, both doubles teams lost in straight sets. Alison Daigel and Madison McBride were paired up on the second doubles court for the first time. “It was one of the hardest matches of the season,” Madison said. “And it was the first time Alison and I had played together. It was a little bit of an adjustment, but I think we did well for our first time playing together.”
Kat Roberts commented on how it felt to be last on court. “I have always been afraid of being the deciding match, but it was actually really exciting,” she said.
Wednesday’s semifinal match against Lynnfield marked the team’s 21st straight win in regular season and tournament play.
And strikingly, it unfolded in much the same way as the match against Dover-Sherborn. Sam Potter defeated her opponent at number one singles, and both Vineyard doubles teams posted losses. That left it up to Kat Roberts and Lizzie Williamson, whose matches would decide the overall outcome at second and third singles.
In her match, Lizzie posted a 2-1 victory to tie the score at 2-2, leaving Kat on court at 1-1 to decide the match.
Kat had fought hard in the second set, defending a crucial match point at 6-7 in a tie break. Having faulted on her first serve, the entire match rode on her second serve. Kat saved the match point, and closed out the second set 9-7 to tie the score at 1-1.
“That one point would have decided the entire thing. It all came down to a second serve,” said head coach Nina Bramhall who is leading the team for the first time this year. The team stalwart entered the third set confidently and pulled off a 6-1 win to take the win at second singles — and for the whole team.
“She hit a beautiful winner to end the match,” said Coach Bramhall. “It was a fantastic recovery from a really shaky start.” She added: “It doesn’t matter who wins the first point or the first set it matters who wins the last point. I couldn’t be happier.”
Now the Vineyard girls advance to the finals.
The winner will claim the division three state championship. Whatever the outcome, the season goes down in history as the best ever for girls tennis.
Comments
Comment policy »