TOPSHAM – There were plenty of interesting matches in the girls’ KVAC doubles championships on Saturday, but in the end it all was decided by a pair of Eagles.
Christie Rogers and Chelsea Annese of Mt. Ararat breezed to a 6-2, 6-1 straight-set win over Maranacook’s Jen Gifford and Amy Gifford.
The matches began on the outdoor courts at Mt Ararat, but rain halted play. The semifinal matches played the first few pro-set games, but wet courts made footing extremely slippery.
In a semifinal, Lewiston’s Katie Nadeau and Jessica Roy were trailing 2-1 against Mt. Ararat’s Rodgers and Annese. The Blue Devils’ No.1 doubles beat the Eagles in the first meet of the season.
The Blue Devils won the next five points in the Maine Pines to take a 3-2 lead.
But the Eagles adjusted and won six of the final seven games.
“I was pleased with the day,” Lewiston coach Anita Murphy said.
“The girls are obviously disappointed with the results. But I look at this as a great time to practice because they had four matches during the day. They were able to see what’s out there for doubles teams. It’s a great experience.”
There were additional incentives at stake in the meet because of the history between the players. Rodgers and her older sister, Maranda, won the 2004 championship.
The siblings volleyed over Nadeau and Roxanne Healey. Healey is playing No.1 singles.
“We communicate well together,” Nadeau said.
“We’ll see how the other players warm-up and talk it over. This allows us to develop a strategy.”
In another battle of sisters, Julie and Audrey Bergeron of Lewiston lost a heartbreaker 8-6 to the Giffords. The Bergerons, freshmen twin sisters, had been ahead in the match, but a scoring miscue changed the complexion of events.
The Eagles’ first doubles team won its next two matches to reach the semifinal.
“This tournament (appears) to be more relaxed,” Mt. Ararat coach Sheila Bohlin said. “The kids have fun, but there is a purpose. The tournament is good for competition because it helps the players further develop their games for team competition.” “(Granted) communication is a key,” added Bohlin. “What really makes a good doubles tandem is trust. It’s important for each partner to have trust to know where the one is on the court.”
The Lewiston No. 3 doubles duo of Ashley Couture and Ann Danforth had a fine performance in splitting a pair of matches.
In their second match, they led 5-4, but failed to hold serve and lost 8-6 to Maranacook’s No. 2 Nadeau and Roy who shut out the Eagles in the next match.
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