The eighth-seeded Vineyard girls varsity tennis team got off to a rousing start in the MIAA Division 3 state tournament with a 5-0 first round South Sectional win over ninth-seeded Westport Friday in Oak Bluffs.
The Vineyarders (12-5) won all five matches in straight sets. Samantha Potter was a 6-0, 6-1 winner over Katie Rego at first singles. Annie Burton defeated Emma Wilkinson 6-0, 6-0 at second singles. Charlotte Potter stepped into the third singles spot and bested Amanda Nichols 6-1, 6-2. Josie Iadicicco teamed up with Julia Cooper at first doubles and defeated Layla Moran and Kelsey Cestodio 6-0, 6-0. Diamond Araujo and Avery Hazel took the second doubles match 6-3, 6-2 over Zoe Shea and Melinda Tripp.
With the first round win, the Vineyarders advanced to play at top-seeded Cohasset Monday in the South Sectional quarterfinals. The teams have split their past two playoff meetings. The Skippers outlasted the Vineyarders last year in a grueling South semifinal played over two days due to weather. In 2011, M.V. knocked out the Skippers in the first round.
