Girls tennis: Lewiston and Edward Little both roll into next round of A North playoffs

LEWISTON — Lauren Foster has been on a state championship team, but she’s still trying to get comfortable as a singles player. Molly Vincent has had her role cemented since her freshman year, but now as a senior she finally is experiencing team success in the postseason

Both their teams breezed to Class A North preliminary-round victories Tuesday at Coach Anita Murphy Courts. Foster’s fourth-seeded Lewiston team swept No. 13 Cony 5-0, and Vincent’s eighth-seeded Edward Little squad advances with a 4-1 win over No. 9 Brewer.

“They did excellent,” Edward Little coach Kim Clark said. “They played hard, they did everything right today. I’m very proud of them. I’m happy for Molly. She’s a senior. We’re going on to the next (round of the) playoffs, which we haven’t done since I’ve coached …

“I’m really probably more happy for her to have more success with the program because she’s worked hard year-round to get where she’s at. And all the girls. A lot of these girls have never played on the varsity, and they stepped up, and they’re coming into their own, and this is what we want for the playoffs.”

Foster was a doubles player two years ago when the Blue Devils won the Class A state championship. She looked locked in as a singles player Tuesday, winning 6-0, 6-0 against Cony’s Alya Noftall at No. 3 singles.

“(Singles is) definitely different,” Foster said. “(With doubles) it was nice having someone there for you to lift you up when you mess up, and now you’re on your own, so you have to be more independent and a lot more confident in yourself, which is hard sometimes. But I try to be confident in myself a lot.”

Lewiston’s Abby Svor won at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0 over Mandy Cooper, and twin sister Julia beat Cony’s Ayanna Goonesekere 6-0, 6-0.

Foster said practicing against the Svors every day has pushed her to get better as a singles player.

The No. 1 doubles duo of Julia Paquette and Libby Forgues beat Bethany Lyons and Fade Abdulmoshin 6-0, 6-1, and Claudia Cucubica and Emma Omiecinski won 6-2, 6-0 over Jessyca Nadeau and Lydia Drisko at No. 2 doubles.

“(All the girls) were a little rusty,” Lewiston coach Anita Murphy said. “We didn’t have practice yesterday, but I thought they looked pretty good.”

Vincent has been the Red Eddies’ No. 2 singles player her entire high school career, which will last at least one more match for EL’s lone senior. She beat Claire Warmuth 6-1, 6-1 in her final match at home, which this year is located across the river on rival Lewiston’s courts.

Vincent said it was exciting to win her last match at her team’s adopted home.

“We didn’t know what to expect going in (having not played Brewer this season),” Vincent said. “We were nervous, but I think we showed up and did what we were supposed to do.”

Vincent’s sophomore cousin, Mya Vincent, got the win at No. 1 singles, beating Kayla Lockhart 6-1, 6-2, and Edward Little’s Paige Morgan rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Ally Crawford at No. 3 singles.

The Eddies and Witches split the doubles matches, with EL’s No. 1 team of Mai Luu and Isabelle Trombley winning 6-2, 6-2 against Charley Laffey and Maddy Cote. Maggie Raymond and Abby Sargent earned Brewer’s lone point at No. 2 doubles, beating Rhassya Kamel and Mariah Kirouac 6-2, 6-4.

The Red Eddies next face No. 1 Brunswick in the regional quarterfinals.

“I know Brunswick Thursday will be tough,” Clark said. “They’re solid. But I know, I’m pretty sure my girls will give them a good play, better than they probably have seen because I think my girls have improved and I think they’re getting used to playing and working hard and doing their right things, and everything’s coming together for them.”

If the Blue Devils can win their quarterfinal against No. 5 Mt. Blue (4-1 winners over No. 12 Mt. Ararat on Tuesday), they will be in line to face the winner of Brunswick and Edward Little.

Murphy said Mt. Blue gave her team a really good match during the regular season, but she’s hoping the Blue Devils can play a couple postseason rounds, or more.

“I want them to keep a positive outlook on what they need to do,” Murphy said. “There’s a lot on their plate right now. I have four seniors. So much going on. They have all these awards nights, and it’s hard to keep them focused. It’s tough when you have upperclassmen on your team at this time of the year. It’s a tough time to be coaching. But I want them to go out feeling good about their season. We’re so happy we were able to play this year.”