The Marblehead High girls tennis team (7-4) played three straight close matches to begin a new month, coming away with two 3-2 victories over Beverly and non-league Latin Academy, only to lose a heartbreaker to Danvers by a similar score.
Against Latin Academy on May 9, the Magicians prevailed with straight set victories in third singles, and first and second doubles.
Maddie Conlon lost in first singles, 6-3, 6-4. Aviva Bornstien was on the short end of the scoresheet in second singles, 6-3, 6-2. But third singles player Sami Dosch provided some winning momentum with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph.
The first doubles team of Lucia Levin and Lani Gilmore remained undefeated in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.
Reese Friedman and Nina Johnson doubled up their second doubles foes, 6-3, 6-3.
Prior to that win, Danvers pinned a 3-2 loss on its Marblehead counterparts on May 6. The Falcons secured the victory on the strength of their singles players.
Madison Savage defeated Conlon in a competitive first singles match, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2. Sophie Sanida topped Bornstein in second singles, 6-2, 6-2. Josie Vogel survived a tiebreaker in third singles against Dosch, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Aoife Bresnahan and Levin secured the team’s first points of the match in first doubles, 6-1, 6-3. Gilmore and Freedman also enjoyed success in second doubles, 6-2, 6-3.
“Danvers has shown significant improvement the last few years, and it’s great to see, because it brings the quality of tennis up for everyone in the Northeastern Conference,” said coach Tracy Ackerman.
“Sami Dosch had to battle for every point in third singles, before falling just short. Our doubles teams have been keeping us in matches all season long, and (against Danvers) was no exception.”
On Friday, May 3, the Marblehead girls edged Beverly, 3-2.
Conlon lost to Addie Kontos in a hard-fought first singles match, 6-2, 2-6, 3-6. Bornstein lost to Olivia Devereux in another three-set encounter in second singles, 4-6, 6-2 (8-10). But Dosch got her teammates back on the winning track in third singles against Grace Adams, 6-4, 6-2.
Bresnahan and Levin defeated Clea Shumria and Ella McAleer in first doubles, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Gilmore and Freedman took care of Sophia Gallo and Elina Savoia in second doubles, 6-4, 6-4.
“Beverly beat us earlier in the season by the same score, so it was important for us to come back and turn the tables on them on our home court,” said Ackerman. “Both teams have mutual respect for each other, showing great sportsmanship. It was the end of a long week for us. It was our fifth match in a row. I was proud of the girls for finishing the week really strong and digging deep to come up with our three winning points.”
