HANOVER — Liz Murray figured her Hanover High girls tennis team’s first-round playoff match against Nashua North would be close, just like the Bears’ 5-4 win over the Titans on April 13.
The No. 6 seed Bears (10-4) surprised their head coach in the best way possible.
Hanover shut out No. 11 seed Nashua North, 9-0, not dropping more than three games in any of the six singles and three doubles matches. In singles, senior Eleanor Van Aalst (8-1), freshman Rachel Rockmore (8-3), junior Mackenzie Liu (8-0), junior Noura St. Hilaire (8-0), freshman Sophia Costa (8-1) and senior Natalie Feyrer (8-1) all won decisively.
“I was expecting a match that was going to be a little bit tighter than today,” Murray said. “All three of the doubles teams, they had their groove together. They were communicating well and they kept the points going.”
It was the final match at Storrs Pond for Van Aalst, who has been Hanover’s No. 1 singles player since her freshman year, and Feyrer, who joined the team last year and has taken over the No. 6 slot.
The Bears will travel to No. 3 seed Bedford for the NHIAA Division I quarterfinals on Friday. The Bulldogs defeated Hanover, 6-3, on May 6.
“If we bring our game and we’re ready to play, we can be good competition,” Murray said. “What we’re going to have to see is consistency in singles matches, not rushing points, making sure we’re taking our time.”
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — The Hurricanes (1-9) concluded the regular season with their first win of the year, defeating the Colonels. It was Hartford’s first victory since May 9, 2019, snapping a 20-match winless streak.
Junior Anthem Phillip and freshmen Larkyn Moodie-Hamilton and Jadeah Bruce all won their singles matches, and the doubles team of juniors Ceci Wendling and Silvia Hale was also victorious. The Canes’ other two points came from forfeits.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes’ top two singles players, seniors Andre Damiani de Souza and Ethan Michaels, each forced a super-tiebreak, but neither could pull it out as the Hurricanes (3-9) were shut out by the Colonels on Senior Night.
Hartford closes the regular season Friday at Mount St. Joseph.
DURHAM, N.H. — The Cardinals (12-3) extended their winning streak to 10 by defeating the Bobcats. Stevens heads to Fall Mountain on Thursday to finish the regular season.
LEBANON — The Lakers avenged last month’s 26-run loss to the Raiders by taking a 10-0 lead during the NHIAA Division III game’s first inning.
Lebanon (2-14), which has surrendered 20 or more runs 10 times this spring, hosts Bishop Brady on Friday during its season finale. Inter-Lakes (2-14) won its last two games of the regular season after being shut out eight times, including its previous four contests.
HOLLIS, N.H. — The Bears (1-13) lost their ninth straight game as they fell to the Cavaliers. Hanover travels to Bow on Friday to finish the regular season.
LEBANON — The Raiders (7-8) dipped back underneath the .500 mark with the loss to the Sabers. Lebanon heads to arch-rival Hanover in a makeup game Thursday to finish the regular season.
WEST CANAAN — The Royals (0-15) played their closest game of the season, but left the bases loaded after a late-inning rally and fell to the Bears.
Mascoma closes the regular season at home against Newport on Friday. The Tigers defeated the Royals, 10-6, back on April 22.
DURHAM, N.H. — The Cardinals (5-10) fell to the Bobcats on the road and will head to Fall Mountain for Thursday’s regular-season finale.
LITCHFIELD, N.H. — The Raiders (9-4) lost a close one to the Cougars. Senior Ella Longacre led the way for Lebanon with three goals and two assists, and fellow senior Molly Smith scored twice. The Raiders also got single goals from seniors Cassidy Adams, Sydney Zagarola, Kayla Taber and Catherine Cole.
Lebanon head coach Sara Ecker had high praise for the defensive work of seniors Clara Smyrski, Amalia Hickey and Anna Illsley. The Raiders conclude the regular season Thursday at Gilford.
ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. — The Hurricanes improved to 13-1 behind a seven-goal performance from junior Joseph Barwood. Barwood set a single-season program record for goals with 58 and counting.
Senior Aidan Boonyaharn had two goals and two assists for Hartford, and sophomore Brayden Trombly scored once and added three helpers.
The Canes close the regular season at home against Brattleboro on Friday.
LEBANON — The Raiders (10-4) had a season-high 45 shot attempts in their win over the Golden Eagles.
Otto Bourne had four goals for Lebanon, and seniors Griffin Auch and Hunter Grant added three apiece. Auch also had five assists. Single goals from freshman Colin Maher, senior C.J. Childs, senior Noah Mekus and junior Finn Kopp rounded out the Raiders’ scoring. Sophomore James Barnett made nine saves.
Lebanon will now look ahead to next week’s NHIAA Division III playoffs. The Raiders are currently in fifth place.
GOFFSTOWN, N.H. — The Bears (6-7) trailed by two after the first quarter, but turned things on in the second and third to defeat the Grizzlies.
Junior Jack Gardner led Hanover with a hat trick and also added an assist and 10 ground balls. Senior D.H. Hendrick and freshman Sam McDonnell each scored twice, and senior Max Galbraith’s goal in the third quarter turned out to be the game-winner.
Freshman Henry Cotter made 10 saves for the Bears, who host ConVal on Friday.
CLAREMONT — The Cardinals (0-14) wrapped up a winless regular season despite tying their season high goal total, which they had achieved in three other games. Stevens was outscored by a cumulative total of 194-15 on the year.
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