Ellsworth hands PI first tennis losses
After opening with four consecutive victories, both Presque Isle tennis teams tasted defeat for the first time as visiting Ellsworth handed the Wildcats losses on Friday afternoon, both by 4-1 scores.
In the boys’ match, the Eagles moved to 7-0 as Evan and Alec Toothaker both won their singles matches over PI’s Chase Norton (8-0) and Byron Winslow (8-4), respectively, and the Ellsworth doubles combinations of Anthony Gardner-Jarred Whitney and Kyla Lima-John Fendl were also victorious. Gardner and Whitney handed the Wildcats’ Denny Young and Alex Brewer their first loss of the season by a score of 8-2, while Lima and Fendl downed Presque Isle’s newly-formed combination of Colin Daigle and Jordan Bonville, 8-5.
The Wildcats’ only win was provided by Chris Carroll in third singles — an 8-5 victory over Adil Khan.
The Presque Isle girls also managed one victory against the 3-3 Eagles, courtesy of Michelle Cawley in second singles in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (7-3), over Lauren Hale.
Hilary Boucher of the ’Cats fell to Sarah Shelton in first singles, 8-3, while PI’s Sarah Morneault was beaten by Alexa Grant, 8-3. Presque Isle had to forfeit its second doubles match, while in No. 1 doubles, the Wildcats’ Sedona Lucas and Miranda Bragan were stopped by Sammy Mason and Hannah Craig, 8-2.
The previous afternoon, the Wildcats were able to get past Fort Kent on the road, both by 3-2 decisions.
Match winners for the boys were Winslow and Carroll in singles and the doubles team of Young and Brewer.
Capturing victories for the girls were Cawley and Morneault in singles as well as the doubles team of Lucas and Bragan.
The Wildcats are scheduled to return to the court for a home doubleheader Friday against Madawaska, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Next is the regional singles tournament in Caribou Saturday morning. Singles players will attempt to qualify for the state tourney scheduled later this month at Colby College in Waterville.
