’Canes sweep Pats on Senior Day

Jacob Marrocco
Posted 10/8/15

The Warwick Vets girls’ tennis team closed out the home portion of its schedule with a 7-0 sweep of Pilgrim on Tuesday afternoon.

The ’Canes (2-8) had the benefit of more experience as the …

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’Canes sweep Pats on Senior Day

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The Warwick Vets girls’ tennis team closed out the home portion of its schedule with a 7-0 sweep of Pilgrim on Tuesday afternoon.

The ’Canes (2-8) had the benefit of more experience as the Pats (0-12) boasted just one junior and two seniors, while Vets had four juniors and five seniors who mostly led the way.

“They really worked hard,” Vets head coach Meg Shideler said. “They had a great time and I think it was just fun. They are very dedicated. They all want to play and they were here every day. They practiced all summer and they were up for the challenge.”

Junior Corinne Gregoire dominated the first singles match against Pilgrim sophomore Zoe Vigeant in two 6-0 set wins.

“This is her sport,” Shideler said. “You know how kids find their sport, their chosen sport, that they really want to excel in? She wants to do well. She has drive, she’s a well-rounded person. She’s a very coachable girl, too, and you can give her pointers and she never gives up. She goes out there to do her best whether she wins or loses, but she mostly wins.”

’Canes’ senior Olivia Murray eased past senior Brigh Finnegan with victories of 6-2 and 6-1 in the second singles.

The third singles was the closest match, featuring Vets junior Catherine Brennan against Pilgrim sophomore Vanessa Escamilia. Escamilia took the first set on a 10-8 tiebreaker before Brennan took the second set 6-1. Another tiebreaker would decide the match, but Brennan would win it this time, 10-5, to take the victory.

’Canes’ junior Mackenzie Mills had an easier time in the fourth singles, dispatching Pats sophomore Brooke Pariseau in straight sets, 6-0 and 7-6.

“This is the game they wanted to win, with the rivalry between the schools,” Shideler said with a laugh.

The first doubles match went to Vets’ seniors Stephanie Racca and Julia Hallman as they defeated Pilgrim sophomores Makailia Delaroca and Alia Mirabile, 7-5 and 6-4.

The second and third doubles matches were decisive victories for the ’Canes. Sophomores Xinnie Mai and Izabella Tran beat Pilgrim freshman Samantha Almonte and sophomore Katherine Richardson in the second doubles tilt, 6-0 and 6-2. In third doubles, Pilgrim freshmen Margaret Connor and Grace O’Donnell fell 7-0 to Vets’ freshmen Katie Kosky and Kathryn Quinn.

For Shideler and Gregoire, it was a bittersweet feeling to grab a win in their final matchup at Vets.

“They wanted to win because it’s such a sad moment,” Shideler said. “We’re leaving and it’s not gonna be here, so we’re all pretty sad about that. It’s been really great. I couldn’t ask for a nicer group of girls.”

“It’s really upsetting,” Gregoire said. “Just because I am attached to this school and I do care for this team. I don’t know, it is kind of upsetting.”

Gregoire’s season will extend past her team’s when she travels to Slater Park this weekend for the state singles tournament. Gregoire, the No. 2 seed out of Division III, will oppose the No. 14 seed out of Division I, Toll Gate’s Laurel Teneyck, in the first round on Friday. A time for the match has yet to be announced.

Should Gregoire advance past Teneyck, she would play either South Kingstown’s Celia Tomlinson, the No. 7 seed in Division II, or La Salle’s Lauren Bertsch, the No. 4 seed in Division I.

“I really can’t wait,” Gregoire said. “I’ve been playing tennis for six years and this is the most that I’ve ever improved with my game. I really feel like it’s taken me all three years out of high school to actually accomplish this and it’s a huge accomplishment for me and I’m really excited.”

“I think I’m gonna win,” she said with a smile. “I have a good feeling about it right now, so I’m going with positive thinking, and I’m not gonna get in my head at all, which I’ve done in previous years, but I’m really excited for it.”

She will have one last tuneup for states today when she and her teammates travel to Middletown for a meeting with the Islanders. Middletown (10-3) is coming off a 5-2 victory over East Providence on Tuesday.

Pilgrim has two more chances to grab its first win of the season. The Pats hosted Tiverton (5-6) at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, but results were unavailable at press time. Should they fall in that matchup, the Pats will have one more shot today during senior day against Tolman (10-2) at 3:30 p.m.

“I have a few players with a lot of natural athletic ability that I would like to see nurtured,” Pilgrim head coach Tamra Gallo, who was hired a week before the start of the campaign, said. “This is a very short season, it’s about seven weeks long, so it’s tough.”

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