Fiesty Eagles find a way

Pennsville girls tennis gets early leg up in division race after beating Woodstown, extends winning streak to 16

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The Pennsville girls tennis team remained undefeated and took the early upper hand in the TCC Diamond Division race Tuesday with a 4-1 win at Woodstown, but, befitting the rivalry, it was a lot closer than the score indicated. 

A lot closer.

The Eagles fought back to win super tiebreakers at second singles and first doubles after both lost the second set and fell way behind in the 10-pointer and won at first singles after holding off a threat to create another super tiebreaker.

They now have division wins over Woodstown and Schalick but have to play them each again. Their second match with Schalick was suspended by weather with the Eagles trailing 2-1 but up a set in both doubles matches. The match is scheduled to resume in late October.

While it won’t count towards in the division race, Pennsville and Schalick are scheduled to play Oct. 8 in the second round of the South Jersey Group I tournament. The winner could potentially get Woodstown in the group semifinals.

“(Getting a leg up in the division) is all it is, the way we look at it, because we’re so close to them; all three of us (Pennsville, Woodstown, Schalick) there’s not much difference,” Pennsville coach Dan LaMont said. “I don’t even think we played great tennis, we just played scrappy. We know that’s what we’ve got to do. We just put a lot of balls back, we hustled. It was as tight as two teams can be.”

The difference on this day was the Eagles’ two super tiebreaker wins.

Regan Witt defeated Camille Osborn 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 at No. 2 singles and the No. 1 doubles team of Emma Cornette and Gabi Forino outlasted Alyssa Berry and Julianna Lindenmuth 6-0, 3-6, 10-8.

Witt (8-2) was down 8-4 in her tiebreaker, then won every point on the other side of the net to score her second super tiebreaker win of the season. The first doubles team was down 5-1 in their third and then won all six points on the other side of the net to take control and remain undefeated as partners (8-0).

Forino has won her last 12 doubles matches going back to last season, when she played second doubles. Cornette has won her last 15.

“It hasn’t been easy for Regan,” LaMont said. “She’s getting some good players and she just persevered. That was pretty big. The first doubles we just said let’s get to Emma’s serve. If we can get to Emma’s serve then we feel pretty good and that’s what they did.

“We just found a little gear when we had to. We kind of clamped down, locked in a little more. We’ve just got to keep on getting better and better. We can’t stop.”

With the win, the Eagles improved to 10-0 this season and extended their regular-season winning streak to 16 in a row. It’s their third best start in the last 15 years and their best since 2021 when they opened the season 11-0. The 2010 team started the year 12-0. The 2011 team had a 15-match in-season winning streak.

Lamont said his current team compared favorably to the 2021 squad.

“It’s very similar,” he said. “Just typical Pennsville girls who are going to go out there, they’re going to limit their unforced errors, they’re going to hustle. We’re not going to wow anybody with our tennis skills as you’ve seen. We’re not going to wow anybody with our overall play. Same type of team.”

PENNSVILLE 4, WOODSTOWN 1
Megan Morris (P) def. Gabby Kurds, 6-4, 7-5
Regan Witt (P) def. Camille Osborn, 6-2, 2-6, 10-8
Lily Edwards (P) def. Aubrie Rennie, 6-1, 6-0
Emma Cornette-Gabi Forino (P) def. Alyssa Berry-Julianna Lindenmuth, 6-0, 3-6, 10-8
Nathalie Neron-Noelle Neron (Wo) def. Isabell Schrenker-Naomi Hess, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Pennsville 10-0, Woodstown 8-3.

FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 2, Gloucester City 1: Caylen Taylor and Phoebe Alward scored goals and Lydia Gilligan made 12 saves as the Cougars followed up their big win over Hammonton with an equally big win on the road at Gloucester City to remain undefeated. Ava Scurry assisted on both Schalick goals.
Woodstown 3, Glassboro 0: The Wolverines broke a scoreless halftime tie with three goals in the third quarter. Zoe Lipovsky scored twice and Hanna Hitchner scored once. Shelby Foote recorded the shutout.
Pennsville 5, Clayton 1