The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls tennis team started the season with a 3-0 win over Nauset in Cape and Islands League Atlantic Division play Wednesday afternoon on the Ned Fennessy Courts in Oak Bluffs.
The Vineyarders clinched the best-of-five series by sweeping the singles matches. No. 1 singles player Hunter Tomkins defeated Alex Lilly 6-0, 6-1; Cali Giglio followed suit at second singles with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Francesca Lilly; and Karinne Nivala topped Nicole Boyle 6-1, 6-2 at third singles.
Both doubles matches needed tie-breakers to settle the first set but due to time and travel concerns, the matches were called with Nauset’s first doubles tandem of Lily Nannini and Heather Peterson leading Tessa Hammond and Andrea Morse, 7-6 (7-5) and Vineyarders Catherine Langley and Evelyn Brewer up by the same score over Michelle Hennault and Kristin Schadt.
Vineyard Coach Bill Rigali was pleased with his team’s start to the season. “I think it’s a very young team. We’re happy with the way the girls are competing. There are going to be a lot of nerves out there,” he said. “We want to give big thanks to everybody on the island for putting their time and energy into getting the kids out on the playing field. We really appreciate it.”
The Vineyarders play at Dennis-Yarmouth on Friday afternoon and host Nantucket on Saturday at 12:30 pm.
