The Barrington High School girls tennis team opened the season with a 5-2 loss to Prout on Monday, Aug. 31. 

The Eagles, who have a senior-laden lineup this year, won two doubles matches on Monday. Clara Bucher and Kyara Byon won in straight sets at number one doubles, 7-5, 6-0, while Sadie Brown and Lilybet Stafford partnered to win 6-3, 6-4 in third doubles. 

The Eagles dropped all four singles matches. At number one singles, Charlotte Hunter fell 2-6, 5-7. Carla Chen lost 4-6, 1-6 at second doubles, and Mira Scheiner lost 4-6, 0-6 at third singles. Anastasia Mycue lost 2-6, 4-6 at fourth singles. Barrington’s other loss was at second doubles, with freshmen Julia Gabarra and Juliette Grossman losing a three-set battle, 6-7, 6-3, 4-6. 

Barrington enters the season with a new coach — Riley Spillane. 

“We have a lot of seniors, but we also have three freshmen and all three are starting in the doubles lineup today,” Spillane said prior to the start of Monday’s match. “We have some newcomers as well as a lot of returning players. It will be an exciting season.”

Spillane said the top two singles players — Hunter, a sophomore, and Chen, a senior— are evenly matched.

“Our number one and two are definitely very close. Both of their ladder matches went to three sets. It’s quite the battle,” Spillane said. 

“They both have excellent ground strokes. They’re very powerful. And I think that’s why they’re so neck-and-neck. They are similar players and both of them are going to be very successful.”

Spillane said the rest of the Eagles’ lineup is also very talented. 

“They might not be as powerful as our one and two, but they are very consistent players. I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen so far,” she said. 

Barrington reached the tennis state finals last year, falling to LaSalle in the championship match. The Eagles graduated four seniors from last year’s team. Bucher and Byon are two returning players who helped power the Eagles’ run last year. 

“They played together last year. They were our first doubles last year. They’re a strong duo, they’ve worked together. They communicate well,” Spillane said. 

Barrington will play at North Kingstown on Thursday. The match starts at 4:45 p.m.

— With reporting from Richard W. Dionne Jr.