Ellsworth uses depth for victory Eagles defeat Wildcats, Waterville up next

ELLSWORTH – Their veteran coach thought a solid season was possible even before it began.

But the veteran players on a youthful Ellsworth High School girls tennis squad weren’t so sure how they would fare – let alone anticipate being 13-0 and headed for the Eastern Maine Class B semifinals after a 4-1 quarterfinal victory over Presque Isle on Thursday at the Ellsworth Tennis Center.

“We only have three upperclassmen, so we have a really young team and didn’t expect this at all,” said Amy Dalrymple, Ellsworth’s No. 2 singles player.

The No. 1 Eagles will host No. 4 Waterville in a semifinal Saturday. Waterville ousted Caribou 5-0 on Wednesday.

Ellsworth’s depth was decisive against No. 8 Presque Isle (10-4), as the Eagles scored wins at second and third singles and in both doubles matches.

Dalrymple, a senior, fought off a stiff challenge from Presque Isle’s Allison Dean for a 7-5, 7-5 win, and junior Hillary Savage earned a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Amy Michaud.

Ellsworth’s first doubles combo of sophomore Kelsey Crowley and freshman Miranda Grant scored a 6-0, 6-0 win over Brittany Bearden and Courtney Hoffses, while at second doubles sophomores Amy Smith and Dominique Keefe rallied for a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 win over Nicole Jimenez and Jacqueline Burgher.

Freshman top seed Sarah Porter earned Presque Isle’s point with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Ginny Dalrymple, Amy’s twin.

“I’m pleased for Amy to win when her sister’s carried us for a lot of the matches this year,” said Ellsworth coach Brian Higgins. “Hillary’s been steady all year at third singles, we count on her a lot and we count on our doubles a lot.

“I’ve always felt that if you can win from third singles on down, you’re going to win a lot of matches.”

While Crowley and Grant, the Penobscot Valley Conference doubles champs, gave Ellsworth a quick 1-0 lead and Savage followed with her win, a competitive second doubles match lent an air of drama to the proceedings.

“Their second doubles played very well, and had us back on our heels a little bit,” said Higgins.

At the time Jimenez and Burgher won their first set, the top two singles matches also remained in doubt. But Smith and Keefe rebounded in impressive fashion to give Ellsworth its pivotal third win.

Porter, less than a week removed from reaching the state singles Round of 16, displayed a strong baseline game in her match.

“She’s been playing well all year,” said Presque Isle coach Tim Dolley. “As a freshman coming in, you like it as a coach knowing she’ll be back for the next three years. She works hard every day in practice, and she’s only going to get better.”

Not only will Porter return, but so will the rest of the Presque Isle roster, as four sophomores, two freshmen and a junior took the court against Ellsworth.

“We just came out and played our game and didn’t worry about the seedings,” said Dolley. “We played our hardest, and played pretty well.”