NORTH ANSON — Carrabec senior Makayla Vicneire lost the deciding match of last year’s Class C South final. She will get an opportunity at redemption after helping the Carrabec girls teannis team edge Hall-Dale, 3-2, in a C South semifinal match Saturday.

Vicneire, who has not lost since that match, improved to 13-0 after winning the deciding match Saturday that gave the No. 2 Cobras (10-1) the victory.

Carrabec will play No. 5 Waynflete in the regional final Thursday at 9:15 a.m. at Bates College in Lewiston.

Vicneire said the Cobras were determined to get back to the regional final, which is lost to Maranacook last season, 3-2.

“As soon as we get to the (Mountain Valley Conference championships), we start thinking about playoffs,” Vicneire said.

Vicneire beat Hall-Dale’s Maggie Gross 6-0, 6-4 to clinch the match. After a dominant first set, Vicneire at one point trailed 3-1 in the second set before ultimately battling back for the victory.

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Vicneire credited her work in the Will Power conditioning program at the high school for her improved play.

“Honestly, my tennis skill is not as good as the people I play against, and I know that,” Vicneire said. “I just don’t get tired. And I can get to most of their balls, because I’m fast.”

Carrabec jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, thanks to victories at No. 3 singles from Skyler Chipman (6-1, 6-2 over Hall-Dale’s Olivia Bourque) and No. 2 doubles from Skye Welch and Cheyenne Cahill (6-1, 6-3 over Grace Moulton and Hazel Clark). Vicneire tallied the deciding victory shortly thereafter.

“I just have a great group of athletic girls,” said Carrabec coach Amy Price, who took over the program this season. “They just know the game and they know how to play and they know how to win. They were MVC champs last year, made it to regionals. We’re just hoping to go past last year. We’re looking forward to meeting up with Waynflete (in the regional final).”

The Bulldogs (8-3), despite the match already decided, pulled out a victory in the most exciting match of the afternoon, when Allie Young and Savannah Millay topped Annika Carey and Maddie Jaros  6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 1 doubles. Naomi Lynch finished the afternoon off with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Carrabec’s Maddie Hughes.

“We like to battle,” Hall-Dale coach Guy Cousins said. “We wanted to come back here and really kind of perform and really kind of show up. (Carrabec) is a very tough tennis club. Their doubles are very competitive. We wanted to make sure we were executing. Technically, we wanted to make sure we were doing what we were supposed to do.”

Carrabec and Waynflete will meet for a fourth straight postseason. Carrabec has a 2-1 advantage in those matches, the latest coming with a 3-2 victory in last year’s semifinals.

“(Waynflete) will definitely be a good game,” Vicneire said. “We’ll do the most research we can on them. Other than that, we’re going in blind. But I’m excited.”

 

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