Panthers knock off ‘Jammers for title Waterville wins first EM championship

WATERVILLE – Even Mother Nature couldn’t rain on the Waterville girls tennis team’s history-making postseason run.

After knocking off prohibitive favorite and top seed Ellsworth Tuesday, the fourth-seeded Purple Panthers proved they were anything but a fluke. The 14-2 Panthers handed another higher seed its first loss of the season by beating No. 2 Camden Hills 4-1 and winning the program’s first Eastern Maine Class B title at Champions Fitness Club Wednesday on a rainy afternoon.

The win evened the season series between the two well-acquainted teams as Camden won 3-2 twice in the regular season before Waterville beat them 4-1 in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship match. It also sends the Panthers to Lewiston High School Saturday to play Falmouth for the state title at 4:30 p.m.

Counting the KVAC final, this is Waterville’s fourth straight win.

“I think we’re peaking and that’s the key. We went down to KVAC finals with 12 hours notice and we just felt like it was time to beat Camden Hills,” said second-year coach Donna Nale. “We’ve gotten more confidence, more experience and more maturity as we’ve gone on this season.”

The Ellsworth upset win, despite coming less than 24 hours earlier, didn’t tire the Panthers out, Rather, it spurred them on, especially emotionally.

“That was a huge win for them,” said second-year Camden coach Karen Brace, whose Windjammers wind up 14-1 on the season. “In fact, I had written Ellsworth in the book. Everybody thought it would be Ellsworth.”

Waterville’s top doubles team of senior tri-captain Kate McAuliff and freshman sister Alex McAuliff reflected their team’s resiliency as they beat Camden’s Caitlin Carroll and Emily Michalakes 6-4, 6-3 after suffering their first loss of the season Tuesday.

“Our doubles teams in general have been our base this year and then all we need is one of our singles to come through,” said Nale.

Waterville’s singles also distinguished themselves as No. 2 player Whitney Russo defeated Lizzie Mitchell 6-3, 6-2 in a battle between two familiar foes.

“This is the fourth time we’ve played. I just think we know each other so well, plus we play such similar styles, we just have to kind of mix things up and keep each other guessing,” said Russo. “I just tried to stay away from her forehand because it’s very powerful.”

No. 3 singles player Hannah Fletcher, also a senior, dominated Camden freshman Sarah Albertson 6-0, 6-0.

“Camden’s third singles played an incredible match today,” said Brace. “She was so strong and we had beaten her before, but with her doing so well and their doubles teams winning, that was it.”

In the No. 2 doubles match, Camden’s duo of senior captain Tracy London and freshman Katie Jacobs rallied to down Maggie Cummons and Nola Kosowsky 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

“All us seniors are really excited about getting this far, winning KVAC’s and now Easterns,” said Russo. “I don’t think we ever dreamed of making it to states.”

Camden’s lone win came via undefeated sophomore Erika Blauth’s straight set (6-0, 6-0) win over Anna-Lena Heinemann.

“I lost my last match last year, so I guess I improved on that,” Blauth said. “Plus, after losing four or five seniors last year, we lose three total and two in the varsity lineup, so we’re in really good shape.”