A Season for All Seasons: Vineyard Tennis Girls Win First State Championship Title in School History, Finish at 22-0

SHREWSBURY – It seemed destined.

From the first volley beneath cold, dark skies, snow piles still surrounding many of the courts they played on earlier this spring, to the last forehand smash, there was just something special about the Martha’s Vineyard girls’ tennis team this season.

The Martha’s Vineyard girls’ tennis team finished a perfect 22-0 and the MIAA Division 3 State champions.
Photo courtesy of Liz Roberts

Yesterday at St. John’s High School (Shrewsbury), the Vineyarders drove that point home with a decisive, 4-1 victory over Division 3 Central Massachusetts champion Hopedale High (19-4) and for the first time in Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School history, the island girls were crowned MIAA Division 3 state champions.

The Vineyarders finished a brilliant, 22-0.

Senior co-captain Samantha Potter – who lost just two matches this season against Nauset’s Allie Dadoly and Cohasset’s Emma Davis, both senior captains – paved the way for the Vineyarders yesterday as she defeated Aimee Figgins, 6-1, 6-0, followed by freshman Kat Roberts at second singles. Roberts, who along with fellow frosh Lizzie Williamson did not lose a single match the entire season, blanked Hopedale frosh Megan McLellan, 6-0, 6-0.

At third singles, it was Williamson who downed freshman Rachel Szemeth in equally decisive fashion, 6-0, 6-2 and basically it was just a matter of finishing out the doubles to begin the celebration.

Vineyard senior co-captains Charlotte Potter and Josie Iadicicco defeated Maddie Sparks and Colleen Kincaid, 6-3, 6-0, at first doubles and it was the first time this season that the Hopedale tandem fell in any match.

Potter and Iadicicco’s win rendered the second doubles match somewhat of a moot point, but Hopedale’s Jenni Holland and Abai O’Neill rose victoriously anyway to give their young squad a proud moment to end an otherwise spectacular season.

Hopedale (20-1) lost just one match this season – Friday’s state title bid versus the Vineyard girls.

M-V’s Lia Potter and Madison McBride fell at second doubles to Hopedale’s Holland and O’Neill.

— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm