The Division II reigning champion Huskies girls tennis team lost a Division II quarterfinal match to Smithfield, 4-0, at Mt. Hope High School on Tuesday afternoon. Huskies starters, first singles player Eva White, fourth singles, Annie Krzywicki, first doubles, Catie Quesnelle and Julia Lewis-Borgia and second doubles, Ally Picard and Maddie Nash, all lost their matches while second singles, Elsa White and third singles, Sara Macedo did not finish.

The Huskies hadn’t faced the Sentinels before, since the team moved down this season from Division I. “We didn't know what to expect,” said Huskies head coach Geoff Keegan. “I feel we were able to compete with them but between the wind and some of our unforced errors it went their way versus going our way.” Mt. Hope finished in second place in Division II-East, with a 4-1 record, their only loss of the regular season was to Portsmouth. “I’m proud of our student athletes and that we were one of six teams out of the very competitive eighteen team Division II to make the playoffs,” coach Keegan said. Coach Keegan said that he was also thankful that the team was allowed to play despite Covid.

Looking ahead to next season, the Huskies will have some work to do as 13 seniors will graduate in May, 2021. Only First singles, Eva White, second singles, Elsa White and Third Doubles Cate Merriam will be coming back. “Thankfully we have a steep junior varsity program,” coach Keegan said. “We have some depth there that will be tested at the varsity level next year.”

Match stats:

1st Singles: Erica Botelho, Smithfield, defeated Eva White, Mt. Hope, 6-3, 6-1

4th Singles: Caitlyn Cacador, Smithfield, defeated Annie Krzywicki, Mt. Hope, 6-1, 6-2

1st Doubles: Victoria Richard-Elena Caliri, Smithfield, defeated Catie Quesnelle-Julia Lewis-Borgia, Mt. Hope, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)

2nd Doubles: Madison Bettencourt-Ashley Gagner, Smithfield, defeated Ally Picard-Maddie Nash, Mt. Hope, 0-6, 6-2, 6-2