Girls’ Tennis Defeats Harwood; Plays for Championship Today

By David Miles, Sports Correspondent
The girls’ tennis team is the last WUHS team still alive in post-season play. The Wasps passed a semifinal test against a good Harwood team Wednesday, dispatching the Highlanders 6-1 to move into the championship round against Montpelier.
Woodstock opened by winning the first three singles matches in straight sets. Momo Biele topped Abby Barker 6-2, 6-1, Grace Frazier defeated Anna Forter 6-2, 6-2, and Sarah Findeisen outlasted Emma McGeorge 6-3, 6-4. It was a streaky second set with Findeisen bolting to a 4-1 lead, only to have McGeorge win three games in a row to square it at 4-4. Findeisen regained momentum and took the last two games to close it out.
Meanwhile the first doubles team of Katey MacMaster and Emily Haynes lost a close contest 6-4, 6-4, leaving the Wasps needing just one point in the second round of matches to move on. And they got it quickly when the freshmen phenom duo of Olivia Marsicovetere and Lydia Howe romped 6-0, 6-1.
With the team victory already in hand, the best two matches of the day ensued. Kenzie Beile lost the first set 6-3, but then “moved into her comfort zone,” as Coach Tom Hopewell put it, winning the second set 6-2 and the supertiebreak 10-7.
On the adjacent court Chloe Noble and Claire McGeorge were doing battle. Noble took the first set 6-2, but McGeorge knotted the match by taking the second set 6-3.
“It seemed like every game in that set went to deuce,” commented Hopewell. “And Chloe played as well as she’s ever played.” Noble was in control in the tiebreak, winning it by a 10-5 score.
Overall Hopewell was satisfied with his team’s effort, especially after essentially a two-week lay-off.
“We gave a little away in a couple of those matches and made them closer,” said the coach. “Hopefully we will give away less tomorrow.”
Montpelier will come to the Woodstock Athletic Club today for the 3 p.m. title tilt.