TOPSHAM

The Brunswick High School girls tennis team had a 2-0 match lead against rival Mt. Ararat on Friday in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference matchup between the top two teams in Eastern Maine Class A.

But, Dragons coach Rob Manter was still worried.

His team had narrowly defeated the Eagles, 3-2, back on May 6, and both of his doubles teams were involved in tight matches. Also, Mt. Ararat’s Christine Levesque and Brunswick’s Ali Stankiewicz were battling tooth-and-nail at No. 2 singles, tied at a set apiece.

Was this the day that Brunswick’s 39-match winning streak was going to come to an end?

Longtime Mt. Ararat coach Sheila Bohlin’s Eagles gave everything they had, but the Dragons were just too tough on this day, prevailing 4-0 in a rain-shortened match.

In the first meeting, Mt. Ararat won both doubles matches, while Brunswick owned the singles competition.

But, the Dragons came out on top in doubles this time around, with Lyse Henshaw and Elizabeth Day, normally Manter’s No. 2 doubles team, defeating Mt. Ararat’s top duo of Priscilla Whitney and Eliza Hodge, 6-4, 7-5, in a close match, while Samm Clark and Cassie Ridge got past Mt. Ararat senior captains Eva Jensen and Isabella Leon, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

“My number-two doubles stepping up to number one and coming out on top, I was really pleased with that,” said Manter, whose No. 1 Dragons are 8-0 and host Skowhegan today. “The match was very much in doubt when you have three competitive matches going on. I was pleased for them to get this win.”

“I am so proud, because I entered the season knowing that these are wonderful girls to work with, good to each other, and having a winning season is icing on the cake,” said Bohlin, whose No. 2 squad dropped to 6-3 and hosts Messalonskee today. “The turning point for us was when we beat Hampden (3-2). They have a great number-one player, and so we had to do it in the other singles, and first or second doubles, and we did it. And, we played Brunswick tough.”

Dragons lead

Brunswick No. 1 Maisie Silverman garnered the first point of the afternoon with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Mt. Ararat’s Amy Segars.

Moments later, Leah Soloway gave the Dragons a 2-0 edge with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles against Alison Melcher.

At No. 2 singles, Stankiewicz and Levesque were trading baseline shots. Stankiewicz captured the opening set, 6-3, but Levesque bounced back in a long second set to win 6-2 and even their match at a set apiece.

“The first set, my mistakes cost me, and the second I just went for things and it worked,” said Levesque.

On the two doubles courts, Henshaw and Day captured the opening set against Whitney and Hodge in a close battle, while Jensen and Leon rolled to a win at No. 2 doubles.

Henshaw and Day, who lost to Jensen and Leon in the earlier match, continued to score the big points. Tied 5-5 in the second set, the Brunswick duo broke Hodge’s serve by winning four straight points, and Day served out the match to give the Dragons an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

‘More intense’

“We were more intense today, knowing it was going to be a hard match,” said Henshaw. “We don’t want to let down our former players, and we want to continue to win as we get toward the playoffs.”

“We were fired up and confident going into it. We have played together all year, so we just went for it,” said Day. “We always battle

A few minutes later, Clark and Ridge completed their comeback, winning the final two sets.

All eyes turned to Stankiewicz and Levesque, who were still trading from the baselines. As the match surpassed the two-hour mark and with the Brunswick senior leading the third set, 4-3, rain put an early end to the match.

“I am disappointed because I really wanted to finish the match,” said Levesque. “I didn’t make as many mistakes today, and just tried to keep it in.”

“Christine comes from a tennis family, as her brothers and sisters played for Mt. Ararat, and she has that mental toughness and will to win that serves her well,” said Bohlin. “She was determined after the last match and was determined for this day.”

Levesque wants another shot at the Dragons, whether that comes in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship or in the Eastern A postseason.

“I think we can do it. If we just stay strong and don’t get intimidated, we can beat them,” said Levesque.

“One of the things I am happy about is the quality of tennis between these two teams in our region,” said Manter. “It says a lot about the future of tennis here, and it is an exciting time.”

Brunswick 4,
Mt. Ararat 0

At Topsham
Maisie Silverman (B) over Amy
Segars, 6-0, 6-0.
Ali Stankiewicz (B) and Christine
Levesque did not finish due to
rain with Stankiewicz leading 6-3,
2-6, 4-3.
Leah Soloway (B) over Alison
Melcher, 6-1, 6-1.
Lyse Henshaw and Elizabeth Day
(B) over Eliza Hodge and Priscilla
Whitney, 6-4, 7-5.
Samm Clark and Cassie Ridge (B)
over Isabella Leon and Eva
Jensen, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Exhibition:
Maddie Stoll and Gillian Doehring
(B) over Julia Kaletko and Marie
Ring, 8-3.
Records — Brunswick 8-0, Mt.
Ararat 6-3.
Up next for Brunswick — Today
at home against Skowhegan.
Up next for Mt. Ararat — Today
at home versus Messalonskee.

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