Vineyard tennis team posts two wins at Indian Wells Tournament

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Mollee Lewis (left) and Julie Lively posed in front of the women's scoreboard at the 2013 BNP Paribas Open Tri-Level Championships in Indian Wells, California on Friday at the start of tournament play. — Photo courtesy of Mollee Lewis

Friday 4:30 pm

The doubles team of Mollee Lewis of Vineyard Haven and Julie Lively of Edgartown won their first round match, 7-5, 6-0, today at the prestigious 2013 BNP Paribas Open Tri-Level Championships in Indian Wells, California.

They are part of the tri-level team representing the New England section, one of 17 different USTA sections from around the country in the tournament.

Friday 6:15 pm

The Lively-Lewis team lost their second round match to a young team of college students from Puerto Rico, representing the Caribbean section, 6-0, 6-2.

Saturday

In 96 degree desert heat the Vineyard team beat the team from the Northern section, 6-4, 6-3 in their final round robin match, but it was not enough to out flank the undefeated Caribbean team which advanced to the semi-finals and went on to win the tournament on Sunday.

The tri-level tournaments include teams playing at 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 levels. A minimum of 12 players, six men and six women, comprise the teams, one doubles team per gender in the 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 ability levels, to a maximum of 24 players.

The team earned entry into the tournament by winning the women’s 3.5 doubles United States Tennis Association (USTA) New England sectional championship in Springfield in January.