Deeper Patriots Sink Islanders, 5-2

Gotta love that depth!

The girls’ tennis team dropped the top two singles’ matches but nothing else Tuesday after while defeating visiting Middletown High, 5-2, in a Division II-South contest.

The Patriots improved to 6-1 in divisional play after claiming the last two singles’ duels and all three doubles’ matches in straight sets. The Islanders fell to 4-3 this season.

All seven contests Tuesday were decided in two sets, much to the pleasure of Portsmouth Coach Judy Colman and to the displeasure of Middletown Coach Marianne Packer.

“I’m very happy and I think we have a strong team,” Colman said. “Our doubles’ teams are really strong and pulled it off for us today, while we won twice in singles’ matches by playing well.”

“I thought it would be pretty close, but Portsmouth has a really strong team,” Packer said. “I think it could have gone either way, but Portsmouth came out with a little stronger game today and got the win.”

In quickly played matches, the Patriots triumphed first at No. 3 doubles’ with Alicia Ferreira-Hannah Larkin topping Brooklyn Ghirardi-Megan Tesssier, 6-0, 6-1, and second at No. 2 doubles’ with Hannah Lynch-Melissa Ramsbottom besting Kelley Golden-Tara Lombardi, 6-1, 6-2. Portsmouth then claimed the No. 1 doubles’ tilt as Sadie Shelburne-Isabelle Weatherby defeated Caroline Benson-Bridget Rinkel, 6-1, 6-4, and earned the decisive fourth point at No. 3 singles when Tenley Chlaupek out-pointed Katherine Benson, 6-1, 6-4.

The Islanders took the No. 1 singles’ duel with Kristin Bertsch handling Kathryn Harper, 6-1, 6-3, and the No. 2 singles’ tussle as Sarah Bertsch downed Skyelar MacLeod, 6-4, 6-1. The Patriots earned the final point of the match when Julia Harrigan outlasted Madeleine Molenda, 6-4, 6-2.

Packer said she was especially pleased with the performances of the Bertsch sisters.

“Kristin played very strong for us and Sarah really stepped it up for us,” Packer said.

Colman said she is pleased with her team’s progress to date.

“I knew this would be a very competitive match, so I’m pleased with the result,” she said. “We’re playing well, the girls are working hard and it looks like we have a really strong team this year.”

Middletown resumes its Division II-South schedule Thursday at home against Chariho Regional High. Portsmouth will be idle until Monday when it visits undefeated Narragansett High.