Girls tennis team advances to Round of 32 after victory over St. Mary’s

In their first official playoff appearance in over a decade, the GHS Girls Tennis team beat Saint Mary’s Catholic School 4-1 in the preliminary round.

Sophomore first singles player Meghan Buckley took control of her match with her serves and footwork. Buckley showed strong consistency, winning both sets 6-1, 6-1.

Junior Ava Vidal showed persistence in her second singles positions, thriving with her volleys and speed. Vidal speedily won her first set 6-1, and quickly shut down a potential comeback in the second set, winning it 6-4.

Third singles player Iylan Mione was able to dominate her match with her speed and consistency, winning with scores of 6-1 and 6-2.

Senior captains Esme Sarrouf and Keira O’Brien dominated in first doubles. The duo not only displayed their impressive tennis skills, but also their teamwork and communication. They finished their sets with scores of 6-0 and 6-3, respectively.

Seniors Ruby McElhenny and Sabina Sapia played an intense and hard fought match in second doubles. The pair played aggressively at the net and had impressive placement. They won their first set 7-5, but fell in the second set 3-6, bringing the match to a third set. The third set was played as a ten point tiebreaker and was neck and neck until the end. Gloucester fell in the third set, losing 9-11.

This season was the first time in over ten years that the team has qualified for the playoffs. Captain Sarrouf feels that the team’s effort is a reflection of their success. 

“We’ve really put in the work this season,” Sarrouf said. “The team really came together and it’s great to see it pay off.”

The match also rallied a large number of supporters, including students, teachers, and members of the Gloucester community. Some students brought signs and wore fishermen hats to show support for the team

After this opening round win, the team is set to play in the Sweet 16 on the road against Wilmington this Saturday at 10:00 a.m.