MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Union High School girls’ tennis team won its opening-round Division I tennis match on Tuesday, while the Otter Valley girls came up short against the top seed in D-II.
The 5-6 Tiger boys, seeded 11th in D-I, were set to take on No. 6 Rutland (12-2) on Wednesday afternoon after the deadline for this edition of the Independent.
TIGER GIRLS
The No. 6 MUHS girls improved to 10-5 by edging visiting No. 11 Stowe, 4-3, in a match played indoors at Middlebury College’s Nelson Arena. Stowe finished the season with a 4-8 record. The Tigers won four out of five singles matches and avenged a 2012 loss to the Raiders.
“It was extra gratifying for us, because the last time we played Stowe, in 2012, we lost to them in the third round of the state tournament, also indoors at the college,” said Coach Laura Rumbough.
The Tigers won despite seeing their No. 1 player, Marvie Avery, take only her second loss of the spring. Rumbough said she was proud of her team for pulling out hard-fought matches, including the clincher won by No. 3 singles player Sonia Howlett.
In individual matches:
•  At No. 1 singles, Avery, M, lost to Casey O’Toole, 1-6, 2-6.
•  At No. 2 singles, Madeline Ganey, M, beat Katelyn O’Toole, 6-3, 6-4.
•  At No. 3 singles, Howlett, M, beat Abby Nicholson, 6-3, 6-2.
•  At No. 4 singles, Julia Cluss, M, beat Annike Norden, 6-3, 6-4.
•  At No. 5 singles, Sara Boe, M, beat Sammy Gentle, 6-3, 6-1.
•  At No. 1 doubles, Jesse Wulfman and Lindsay Wells, M, lost to Ali Leach and Mackenzie Wadel, 0-6, 0-6.
•  At No. 2 doubles, Dorothy Punderson and Hannah Stoll, M, lost to Catherine Miller and Meghan Driscoll, 4-6, 1-6.
The Tigers advanced to play the No. 3 seed and defending champion, Champlain Valley, at 3 p.m. this Thursday.
OV GIRLS
In Manchester on Tuesday, undefeated No. 1 Burr & Burton topped the Otters, 7-0. Danarose Weaver played the most competitive match for OV at No. 2 singles, winning three games. Weaver was also the only winner when OV lost to Bellows Falls, 6-1, in a match hosted by Middlebury Indoor Tennis on May 23.
In individual matches on Tuesday:
•  At No. 1 singles, Maddy Pagnucco defeated Sarah Young, O, 6-0, 6-0.
•  At No. 2 singles, Jordan Harmon defeated Weaver, O, 6-0, 6-3.
•  At No. 3 singles, Irene Matas defeated Caitlyn, Curtis, O, 6-0, 6-0.
•  At No. 4 singles, Gabby Vella defeated Gabrielle Welch, O, 6-1, 6-0.
•  At No. 5 singles, Eliza Breed defeated Jonna Keith, O, 6-0, 6-1.
•  At No. 1 doubles, Maria De Pablo and Silvia Velasco defeated Sophie Wood and Ghislaine Robin, O, injury forfeit.
•  At No. 2 doubles, Burr & Burton by forfeit.