CHARLESTON — It was a successful first day for the Morgantown High girls’ tennis team May 10, at the state tournament, in Charleston.
Competing at a hot Charleston Catholic tennis facility, the Mohigans earned three points with a No. 2 singles win from freshman Cat Wassick, who had a bye in the first round and beat Greenbrier East’s Erin Persinger in the second.
No. 3 senior Vinitha Joseph also earned a first-round win, over Nina Tan, of Washington, 8-3.
MHS did take a hit with the loss of No. 1 Emme McKnight, who fell, 8-1, to Parkersburg’s Bairavi Sundaram.
However, MHS still has all three doubles teams, as well as No. 4 singles player Mackenzie Sorton, to go today.
“We’re still in the thick of it. No team has more than five (points) right now,” head coach Ted Greenlee said.
For the University boys, who qualified the whole team, No. 1 singles Drew Hawthorne won both of his matches — 8-1, over Ripley’s Caleb Bailey, and 8-3, over Hedgesville’s Max Rosario.
No. 2 Kyle Hawthorne won his first match after a bye, beating Martinsburg’s Gray Silver IV, 8-6. No. 3 Tommy McClellan lost to Parkersburg’s Jacob Boone, 8-1.
The Hawks have four points heading into today’s doubles matches and singles semifinals.
For the MHS boys, No. 2 singles Ataes Aggarwal won one match to give the Mohigans a point but fell to George Washington’s Nadeem Jones, 8-2, in the next round.
No. 1 singles Ben Rosiello lost to Austin Noel, of Hurricane, 8-1, in the first round. No. 1 doubles Rosiello and Aggarwal lost, 9-8, in a tiebreaker to Cabell Midland’s Corey Ross and Alex Cottrell.
Action continues at 8 a.m. today.
