Tiger girls’ tennis takes two wins from two of three opponents

MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Union High School girls’ tennis team moved over .500 by prevailing in two out three recent matches.

Last week the Tigers edged Rice on Friday, 4-3, after losing to defending Division II champion Montpelier on May 11, 6-1. On Monday, the Tigers won at St. Albans, 4-3, even though they were shorthanded and the match was moved indoors in St. Albans due to the day’s thunderstorms in Middlebury.

The Rice match was a continuation of a contest postponed from April when rain struck with the Tigers on top, 2-1. The remaining four individual matches were picked up where they left off previously.

Most were hotly contested, and MUHS picked up the overall victory by winning three of four matches that went to extended tiebreakers.

No. 5 singles player Kaya Wright and the doubles teams of Audrey Carpenter and Caroline Nicolai and Maeve Roche and Oni Krizo prevailed in those nailbiters to give the Tigers the overall win. Middlebury’s No. 2 singles player Julia Bartlett won more easily.

The scores in the individual matches vs. Rice were:

At No. 1 singles, At No. 1 singles, Carolina Ciardiello (R) defeated Scarlet Carrara (MUHS), 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.

At No. 2 singles, Bartlett (M) defeated Anna Wolters (R), 6-1, 6-0.

At No. 3 singles, Evie Quinlin (R) defeated Talia Cotroneo (M), 6-4, 6-1.

At No. 4 singles, Sophia Strouse (R) defeated Paige Hescock (M), 6-1, 6-0.

At No. 5 singles, Wright (M) defeated Gabby Sneddon (R), 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.

At No. 1 doubles, Carpenter/Nicolai (M) defeated Libby Stevens/Aurora Moulaert (R), 1-6, 6-2, 10-8.

At No. 2 doubles, Roche/Krizo (M) defeated Grace Marroquin/Ella McCormick (R), 6-2, 2-6, 12-10.

The Tigers’ loss to Montpelier was a rematch of the 2021 D-II final, won by the Solons. Only Bartlett at No. 2 singles won her match vs. the Solons, although matches were generally competitive.

At No. 1 singles, Daphne Lassner (Mont.) defeated Carrara (MUHS), 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.

At No. 2 singles, Bartlett (MUHS), defeated Grace Murphy (Mont.), 6-2, 6-1.

At No. 3 singles, Emily Swensen (Mont.) defeated Cotroneo (MUHS), 6-3, 6-0.

At No. 4 singles, Rachana Cherian (Mont.) defeated Hescock (MUHS), 6-2, 6-1.

At No. 5 singles, Sophia Sevi (Mont.) defeated Wright (MUHS), 6-3, 6-1.

At No. 1 doubles, Chloe Montieth/Georgia Schiff (Mont.), defeated Carpenter/Nicolai (MUHS), 6-4, 6-0.

At No. 2 doubles, Phoebe Gingold/Abby Bigglestone (Mont.) defeated Sophie Mason/Krizo (MUHS), 6-3, 6-4.

On Monday Coach Dan Comar had to juggle the MUHS lineup when Bartlett couldn’t participate, and he credited Carrara at No. 1 and Cotroneo, moving up to No. 2, for setting the tones with big wins, Krizo for moving to the No. 5 singles slot and prevailing, and “yet another new pairing at No. 2 doubles coming through in the final match played.”

The individual scores vs. the Comets were:

At No. 1 singles, Carrara (MUHS), defeated Lydia Hodgeman (BFA), 6-1 6-1.

At No. 2 singles, Cotroneo (MUHS) defeated Genevieve Laclair (BFA), 6-1, 6-3.

At No. 3 singles, Jaylin Bedard (BFA) defeated Hescock (MUHS), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

At No. 4 singles, Shelby Bechard (BFA) defeated Wright (MUHS), 6-4, 6-0.

At No. 5 singles, Krizo (MUHS) defeated Maura Thompson (BFA), 6-1, 6-0.

At No. 1 doubles, Drew Ducolon/Jaylen Bedard (BFA) defeated Carpenter/Nicolai (MUHS), 3-6, 6-4 (10-6).

At No. 2 doubles, Roche/Mason (MUHS) defeated Saige Bessette/Jayden Derosia (BFA), 6-1, 6-1.