DIXFIELD – The Monmouth boys’ tennis team knew what it had to get done to advance to its first-ever Class C regional final.

Senior Jared Smith made the correct shots in a 6-0, 6-0 clinching win at No. 3 singles as No. Monmouth upset Dirigo 3-2 in a semifinal match at sun-baked Pierce courts Saturday.

Top-ranked Dirigo had shut out the Mustangs in a Mountain Valley Conference meet last month, but the rematch proved to be a different outcome. The players had to guard against dehydration, and several Cougars needed to re-energize after graduating Friday night.

No. 4 Monmouth (10-4) advances to the regional final at Bates College on Wednesday. The Mustangs had beat Mt. Abram 5-0 in the quarterfinal.

Saturday, they led 2-1 when Smith stepped on the court and didn’t waste any time in dispatching Dekota Turnbull. The Mustang player used a strong serve and accurate passing shots.

“This team caught fire in the middle of the season,” Monmouth first-year coach Tyler Hunt said. “They started to believe in themselves and today Jared did a great job. I was truly amazing what the first doubles did to win in three sets the way they came back.”

Dirigo (11-3) had taken a 1-0 lead when Enrico Ross cruised 6-1, 6-1 past Morgan Bergeron at No.2 singles.

“My shots were working,” Ross said. “My strategy was to hit the ball right at him at let him make mistakes. The whole idea centered around making him run in the heat.”

Monmouth was put in position after both doubles teams won, especially seniors Nate Trenholm and Mike Brassard who needed major adjustment to force a third set.

The Cougars’ Kyle Hutchinson and Peter Neverette won the first set 6-1, but the Mustangs developed a new battle plan between sets.

“We had been too passive,” Trenholm said. “So we came out and talked to coach. Our lobs were effective because before we was hitting the ball past them.”

Trenholm and Brassard won the next two sets 6-3, 6-0. The second doubles tandem of Corey Dyke and Eben Musich had dropped Austin Hamann and Mike Beale 6-4, 6-4.

“We knew we’d be in trouble without Colby Knapp,” Dirigo coach Bruce Thompson said. “One of the doubles really needed to win in order for us to have a chance. Monmouth has improved a great deal, and it just wasn’t meant to be for us today.”

The Cougars’ Kaile Underwood outhit Noah Bosworth 6-3, 6-2 in the final match at No.1 singles.