Just when it was ready to end 16 years of Fayetteville-Manlius domination, the Baldwinsville girls tennis team’s quest for a Section III Class A title fell one point short.
The Bees’ 4-3 loss to the Hornets in Tuesday’s Class A team tournament final at Utica Parkway Courts pointed to just how far B’ville had risen — and how difficult it remains to topple F-M, regardless of the circumstances.
B’ville, who had lost 5-2 to F-M in a regular-season showdown eight days earlier, knew it could pull this off, and announced its intentions through a pair of terrific singles performances.
Calli Nizamis shut out Lauren Schaefer in the first set and went on to win 6-0, 7-5, while Kelly Falconer also prevailed in straight sets, beating Olivia Calancie 7-5, 6-4. Though Becky Guzzo took Sienna Susko to a second-set tie-breaker, Susko lost 6-3, 7-6.
When Nicole Leader and Amari Pollard, in first doubles, overcame a terrible start to beat Carly Romano and Allison Vizgaitis 1-6, 6-4, 7-5, the Bees had three points — but would never get the fourth.
The teams of Rachel Taylor-Lauren Mautz, Katy Andersen-Catherine Corsito and Sarah McCarthy-Kalli Alberici all lost in straight sets, none of them picking up more than three games in any set they played.
