Mount Greylock Girls, Boys Top Mount Everett
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Mount Greylock girls tennis team graduated five seniors – including all three singles players – from last spring’s Western Massachusetts championship team.
But two matches into the season, the Mounties appear to be rebuilding nicely.
Mai O’Connor earned a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles Wednesday to highlight a 5-0 win over Mount Everett.
The Mounties also earned a team win in the boys match, edging the Eagles, 3-2, behind singles wins from Tate Carothers, Josh Rudin and Alton McIntosh.
Mount Greylock girls coach John Jacobbe was happy with the way his squad was able to fill some of the roles vacated by graduation.
“Mai [O’Connor] moved from second doubles to first singles,” Jacobbe said. “That’s huge for any tennis team to have a player make that big a jump. And then Mia Patrick coming out. She’s played tennis a lot her whole life, so it’s a seasoned tennis player jumping right in.
“Mai and Mia are going to battle back and forth for 1 and 2. They’re both so competitive . In their one challenge match, Mai won in a tie-breaker.”
Patrick, who skipped last spring’s high school season during the pandemic, notched a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles on Wednesday.
Piper Schulman, O’Connor’s doubles partner last spring, was a 6-3, 6-1 winner at third singles on Wednesday as the Mounties improved to 1-1, two days after dropping their season opener at Lenox by a 3-2 margin.
Effie Skinner and Beatrice Pedroni cruised at second doubles.
At No. 1 doubles, Mount Everett’s tandem of Kaleigh Eichstedt and Julianna Valentini pushed Charlotte Holubar and Clarissa Louis to a third-set tie-breaker before the Mounties prevailed, 6-1, 3-6, 5-4 (7-5).
Mount Greylock’s boys also improved to 2-0 on Wednesday after a 3-2 win over the Millionaires.
The Eagles (0-2) made their hosts work for their points at first and second singles.
Mount Everett’s No. 1, Isaiah Neski, fell 6-4, 6-4, to Carothers. At second singles, Jordi Peck dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to Rudin.
The Eagles swept doubles play with the pairings of Noah Williams/Jay Sweard-Dailey and Jason Peck/Fin Vion each winning in straight sets.
First-year Mount Greylock coach Dave Singer said he is pleased with what he has seen from his squad so far this spring.
“It’s good,” Singer said. “We’re 2-0. I think everyone’s feeling pretty good. I don’t know what the league looks like, but we have players who know how to use their skills to win. Not everybody is super experienced, but they’re figuring it out.”
Boys
Mount Greylock 3, Mount Everett 2
Singles
No. 1 Tate Carothers (MG) def. Isaiah Neski, 6-4, 6-4.
No. 2 Josh Rudin (MG) def. Jordi Peck, 7-5, 6-2.
No. 3 Alton McIntosh (MG) def. Willem Volmer, 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles
No. 1 Noah Williams and Jay Seward-Dailey (ME) def. Drew Scanlon and Edward Brannan, 6-2, 6-4.
No. 2 Jason Peck and Fin Vion (ME) def. Luka Hirsch and Adriel Benko, 6-3, 6-4.
Girls
Mount Greylock 5, Mount Everett 0
Singles
No. 1 Mai O’Connor (MG) def. Caroline Haiss, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 2 Mia Patrick (MG) def. Nadia Makuc, 6-3, 6-1.
No. 3 Piper Schulman (MG) def. Rochele Worth, 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles
No. 1. Charlotte Holubar and Clarissa Louis (MG) def. Kaleigh Eichstedt and Julianna Valentini, 6-1, 3-6, 5-4 (7-5).
No. 2 Effie Skinner and Beatrice Pedroni (MG) def. Victoria Breen and Shira Sawyer, 6-3, 6-1.