HIGH-SCHOOL

La Salle girls romp to another regular-season tennis title

Its 5-0 victory over Barrington makes the Rams the top seed in playoffs

Eric Rueb
erueb@providencejournal.com
Erin McCusker, of La Salle, returns a volley to Barrington's Beth Wang en route to a 6-1, 6-3 victory at second singles on Tuesday. The victory by McCusker was the clinching point in the match and gave the Rams their fourth-straight regular-season title. [The Providence Journal/Bob Breidenbach]

PROVIDENCE — Playing for the No. 1 seed in the Division I playoffs in the final week of the season wasn’t anything new for the La Salle girls tennis team.

Last year, the Rams had to take down undefeated East Greenwich to earn the top spot on their way to the state title. On Tuesday, the Rams had to beat both Barrington and the darkness to accomplish that.

The match of the state’s top two teams started late, was delayed by weather and then finished up in a race against daylight. La Salle won three matches before the sun set and two after, with two others suspended. The 5-0 win wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the D-I playoffs and the fourth straight undefeated regular-season title for the Rams.

“We went into the match and we knew we couldn’t be too cocky,” said Sofia Rose, who picked up a win at No. 2 doubles with partner Amanda Davis. “We knew we had to play our best, and we did really well.”

“We knew what was at stake, but we were ready for the pressure,” Davis said. “Pressure makes us play better.”

The Eagles were without No. 1 Caroline Maher, who suffered a foot injury late in the season and aggravated the injury in last weekend’s RIIL Girls Tennis Singles Tournament. Without Maher, everyone in Barrington’s lineup was forced to play up a spot, which wasn’t a recipe for success against the defending state champs.

“Our major goal of the season was to get to this point undefeated,” said Kate Robertson, who played in the top spot with Maher sidelined. “It’s not a definite right now that Caroline will be out for the playoffs, so we’re still hopeful she’ll come back.”

The playoffs are set to start on Wednesday, but that didn’t look like a possibility when play was suspended at 4:37 p.m. thanks to a brief mist. At 4:53 play resumed, but now it was a matter of whether or not matches could finish by the 5:54 sunset.

Hannah O’Brien, La Salle's No. 3 singles player, wrapped up a straight sets win at 5:39, and moments later, Rose and Davis finished their match at No. 2 doubles.

“My partner, this is her first time playing in a tough match like this, so it was cool, because last year was my first time. I was able to transfer that and help her out,” Davis said. “I felt calmer and knew how to handle the pressure and my nerves.”

The No. 1 doubles team of Anya Chowdhry and Blaisedel Frampton earned the third point at 5:43, with No. 2 singles player Erin McCusker finally earning the clinching point at 5:57.

“The last few games it was so hard to see the ball because it was so dark,” McCusker said. “With the fence, it was really hard to see, too.”

Lauren May downed Robertson at No. 1 to earn the final point before both coaches agreed to stop the matches at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles.

“It was really hard to see,” Robertson said. “I just got contacts, so it was a struggle.”

     Lauren May def. Kate Robertson, 6-2, 6-0; Erin McCusker def. Beth Wang, 6-1, 6-3; Hannah O’Brien def. Marie Chanfrau, 6-0. 6-2; Anya Chowdhry/Blaisedel Frampton def. Eve Stockwell/Hailey Walter; Amanda Davis/Sofia Rose def. Alexis Brenner/Sonya Pareek, 6-2, 6-3.