Breezing through the Division 3 Central Girls Tennis Tournament has become something of a regular occurrence for the Hopedale girl’s tennis team. For the second straight season the Blue Raiders captured the Divisional Championship.
Last spring Hopedale entered the tournament as the number two seed with a 15-3 regular season record and took out Leicester (5-0), Grafton (3-2) and Notre Dame Academy (3-2) to capture the Division 3 Central Title. This year things were a bit easier as Hopedale, who finished 12-4 and were awarded a 3 seed, dispatched of Gardner (5-0), Whitinsville-Christian (3-2) and Grafton (4-1) on their way to the championship.
While many teams, no matter what the sport, are winning championships with upper classmen, Hopedale is doing it with youth and depth. The Blue Raiders had 5 sophomores, 1 freshman and 1 eighth grader take to the courts as it cruised through the tournament. The entire team consists of 6 sophomores, 2 freshmen, 4 eighth graders and another 4 seventh graders, with an average age of 14.5 years old.
Freshman Aimee Figgens defeated junior Rae Deveney 6-2, 6-2 on the first singles court; sophomore co-captain Megan McLellan defeated senior Katie Mason 6-1, 6-3 in second singles and sophomore Brittany Dupuis was victorious against junior Lisa Sulmasy 6-2, 6-3 at third singles.
Hopedale’s second doubles team of sophomores Rachel Szemethy and Missy Davis dispatched junior Wafa Daher and sophomore Caitlin Nguyen 6-0, 6-3. Grafton’s only win on the afternoon came in first doubles as seniors Natasha Shiku and Apoorva Indraghanty squeaked past sophomore co-captain Jennie Holland and eighth grader Maddie Laprade 6-7, 6-2 and 10-8.
Grafton was the number one seed, entering the tournament going undefeated in their 16 regular season matches. Although the Indians had beaten Hopedale earlier this year 3-2, it was the Blue Raiders who ended Grafton’s season in last year’s tournament. In fact, Grafton hadn’t lost a game since that loss to Hopedale last year before the Division 3 Central Championship bout. The Blue Raiders are currently riding a seven game winning streak.
“Grafton came in with an 18-0 record with a lot of strong, seasoned veterans,” Hopedale Coach Amy Wersted said. “They may have beaten us during the regular season, where we had to halt play after a brief rain and wait for the courts to dry, but today was no contest.”
Hopedale now moves onto the Division 3 State Tournament amongst a group of number ones. Between Belchertown, the West Champion; Lynnfield, the North Champion and Martha’s Vineyard, the South Champion all three were the top dog in their respective division. Combined the three number one seeds are a combined 60-2; Hopedale comes in at 15-4 and more loses than the other three teams combined, but it doesn’t both the Blue Raider Coach.
“This team knows how to play and everyone on this team has not only gotten a chance but has been able to win a varsity match this year,” Wersted said. “We’re familiar with Martha’s Vineyard (who has not lost a match thus far in this year’s tournament), don’t know a thing about Lynnfield or Belchertown, but that’s not going to stop us We’re going to take to the courts, play our game and do our best, the girls know what they are capable of doing and what they have to do.”
The Blue Raiders will get another chance to claim a Division 3 State Championship when it once again goes up against Martha’s Vineyard, who defeated Lynnfield 4-1. Hopedale got the chance to square off with the reigning state champion by downing Belchertown 4-1.
Issue Date:
July, 2016
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