After press time: North Reading falls to Newburyport 4-1 (April 16)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — On Monday afternoon, the North Reading High girls’ tennis team lost, 5-0, at Lynnfield on a warm, sunny day. With that result, the Hornets’ record dropped to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the Cape Ann League.
“They are even deeper than they were last year,” said Hornets head coach Matt Tiberii, as the Pioneers are the defending CAL Kinney champs.
Althea Bradley lost at first singles, 6-0, 6-2 while Matilda Ton fell, 6-3, 6-3, at second singles. Shenaya Verma lost at third singles, 6-1, 3-6, 10-2 as it was a 10-point final set since the match was already decided.
In doubles play, the first team of Addison Stetson and Mary Doble lost, 6-2, 6-1, while the second pairing of Aniya Taneja and Karina Mountain fell, 6-2, 6-3.
On April 11, the Hornets edged host Bishop Fenwick, 3-2, in a non-league match up in Peabody.
Bradley won, 6-2, 6-1, while Ton won, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2 in the tiebreaker).
“Matilda’s win cliched the match,” pointed out Tiberii. “It was a gutsy performance as she showed a lot of character.”
At third singles, Madelyn Barnes-Felix was shutout, 6-0, 6-0.
In doubles action, Stetson and Angela Zheng fell, 6-0, 6-1. The second team of Taneja and Verma won with matching 6-1 scores.
On April 10, the Hornets rolled over host Triton, 5-0, up in Byfield.
“They have a couple of seniors at the top of their lineup, but the rest of their team is very inexperienced,” said Tiberii, about the Vikings. “We took advantage of that.”
Bradley shut out her opponent, 6-0, 6-0, while Ton won, 6-0, 6-2. Verma won, 6-1, 7-5, at third singles.
Stetson and Taneja won, 6-1, 6-4, while Mountain and Barnes-Felix won, 6-1, 6-0.
This match was originally supposed to have been played on April 8 but was rained out.
On April 9, the Hornets were shut out, 5-0, at Manchester-Essex.
“They have a good team with a lot of depth,” said Tiberii.
Bradley lost a tough one in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7 in the tiebreaker) at first singles. Ton lost by matching 6-2 scores.
Verma fell, 6-1, 6-0, at third singles.
Stetson and Taneja lost, 6-3, 6-1, while Mountain and Barnes-Felix lost, 6-2, 6-2, at second doubles.
The next match for the team will be on April 17 as they host non-league Bedford at 4 p.m.
They then have the April Vacation Week off as they return to play on April 28 at Amesbury.
The match at Methuen on April 15 was rained out (makeup date unknown as of press time).