Warm conditions greeted the Skaneateles girls tennis team for last Monday’s match against Marcellus at Austin Park, and the competition was hot, too, with the Lakers needing to work plenty to defeat the Mustangs 5-2.
Though all three singles matches were won by the Lakers, none were that lopsided. Emma Miller defeated Courtney Otis 6-4, 6-2, with Hope Allyn handling Madeline Mahoney 6-2,6-4 as Ella Danforth had a 6-3, 6-3 win over Maura Gosson.
Skaneateles dropped two of the four doubles matches, including a three-setter where Isabella Kroon and Brinley Walewender fell to Kaitlyn Kemp and Elaina Mahoney 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. But Kroon and Lily Datz claimed an epic 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) match over Alyssa Goodwin and Caroline Keegan as Caroline Hagen and Melissa Biver beat Morgan Walsh and Megan Mitchell 6-2, 7-5.
Visiting Homer two days later, the Lakers won another 5-2 decision over the Trojans, which included another perfect singles run. Danforth had the closest match, but handled Madison Baker 6-1, 6-4 as Miller topped Tessa Brown 6-2, 6-1 and Allyn won, 6-2, 6-2, over Nicolo Petriesova.
Remarkably, all four of the doubles matches went to three sets. Hagen and Bridget Neumann survived a tough third set to beat Sophie Burhans and Alina Heyer 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (10-7) as Gracie Lee and Marin Doyle made their own comeback to get past Sidney Neumann and Jamee Triolo 2-6, 6-0, 6-2.
This made up for defeats in the other two doubles matches. Biver and Rachel Feeney were one game from victory, yet fell, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, to Catarina and Marlena Kruman, with Kroon and Walewender losing to Ellis Han and Ally Hammond 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Skaneateles closed the week by blanking Phoenix 7-0 on Friday afternoon, the shutout maintained when Miller, in first singles, survived a terrible first set to beat Brielle DeRoberts 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Danforth beat Gianna DeRoberts 6-3, 6-3, with Allyn stopping Lauren Schmidt 6-1, 6-1. Two of the doubles matches were forfeited, but Datz and Feeney played, stopping Gravlin and Molly Thorn 6-1, 6-0 as Kroon and Walewender got a 6-0, 6-0 shutout over Mia Graham and Courtney Worden.
At 7-3 overall, the Lakers would conclude the regular season Tuesday against Mexico.
