PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Meredith MacDonald gave Acton-Boxborough the best match of the afternoon in Classical’s loss Saturday.
By STEVE KRAUSE
LYNN — In the end, Acton-Boxborough’s experience off the high school tennis courts was too much for Classical to handle on the court.
“They play seven days a week, all year round,” said Arnold Ellis, who assists his wife, Cathy Blake Ellis, the Rams’ girls tennis coach. “We have practices, and our kids came a long way. But those girls just play more up there.”
Actually, Classical, which was the Division 1 North No. 2 seed at 16-1 coming into Saturday’s match at Breed, did more prep work than usual. But it wasn’t enough to thwart the Colonials, who blanked the Rams, 5-0, in a quarterfinal match.
“A few of our girls worked out during the winter at the North Shore Squash and Tennis Club in Salem, and that really helped a lot,” Ellis said “We have a lot of spots open next year, and I hope the girls see the handwriting on the wall and do the same thing.”
Saturday, No. 2 singles player Meredith MacDonald gave Jaq Marjou of A-B a run for her money in the first set, taking her to a tiebreaker before falling, 7-6. It took so long to play the set that by the time it was over, the results were already in for the match to that point, and the girls settled for playing tiebreaker rules in the second set, also won by Naroju.
The rest of the results went like this: Anna Athanasopoulos fell to Rose Zhao in first singles, 6-1, 6-0; Prag Marjou defeated Lizzie Troisi in third singles, 6-1, 6-0.
Ini doubles, it was Shea Dunnigan and Briana Silva, the two senior captains, falling to Dinya Iyenga–Arushi Bhalchardia, 6-0, 6-1; and Ashley Noel–Zoe Raymond losing to Mel Copland–Sammy Pofama, 6-0, 6-1.
Regardless of the defeat, and the score, both Ellises know this was a special year for the program.
“We’re so proud of these kids,” said Cathy Ellis. “I don’t think anything will ever match what these girls did this year. It was a great season.”
