It could not have opened in a more satisfying way for the Chittenango girls tennis team.
Up against its neighbors from Cazenovia last Friday afternoon, the Bears thrived in the single-set, race-to-10 games format and outlasted the Lakers 5-2.
All three of the singles matches went in Chittenango’s favor, starting with Anna Rooney claiming a 10-8 classic over Cazenovia’s Nova Berger.
By that same 10-8 margin, Anna Spencer got past Baylee Pierce, while Brooke DiFlorio had a more lopsided outcome, toppling Clare Douglas 10-4.
Moving to doubles, the Lakers had Julia Knutsen and Mae Sayre win 6-2 over Leah DeMauro and Jessica Hallock, just as Ella Brown and Megan Kuhn won 7-6 over Gushea Emily and Mya Vincent.
But the Bears still salvaged a split of doubles as Brianna Crystal and Mya McLean-Wilson handled Quinlan Emhoff and Emily Knapp 10-3, with Riley Ellis and Allison Soulier holding off Nina Royer and Emma Schwartz in another 10-8 decision.
This came after the match was rained out last Wednesday, the second postponement the Lakers had faced since last Monday’s match with CBA was moved to Oct. 19.
A day after falling to Chittenango, Cazenovia met Phoenix and earned its first win of the season, toppling the Firebirds 6-1.
Douglas handled Mia Graham 10-2 and Pierce routed Hailey Fredericks 10-3 after Berger lost, 10-2, to Brielle DeRoberts. Between them, the doubles teams of Royer-Schwartz, Sayre-Knutsen, Kuhn-Emhoff and Brown-Knapp lost just four total games.
As for Chittenango, it faced Mexico on Saturday and won again, taming the Tigers 6-1.
Drake’s 8-0 shutout of Caitlyn Hackett was complemented by DiFlorio and Rooney also winning singles points. The closest doubles match had Ellis and Sarah Lanphear edging Tori Stores and Alivia Kelsey 8-6 as the teams of Soulier-Anna Spencer and Crystal-McLean-Wilson also won.
A rematch between Cazenovia and Chittenango is set for this Friday in between the Bears’ battles with CBA and Bishop Grimes as the Lakers get Manlius-Pebble Hill and Pulaski during the week.
