OCHS girls tennis team beats Mainland for 10th straight, remains in 1st place

By TOM WILLIAMS

Ocean City High School’s girls tennis team defeated Mainland, 3-2, yesterday to move a game ahead of the Mustangs in the Cape-Atlantic League American Conference standings and remain in a tie with Egg Harbor Township for first place. The Raiders face the Eagles Thursday on the road. They beat them, 3-2, earlier this season.

The win was the 10^th straight for Samantha DeMatteo’s team and improved Ocean City’s record to 12-1. It is the first time an OCHS girls tennis team has been 12-1 since 1977.

In doubles play yesterday, Brynn Bowman and Rosalie Graham (12-1 this season) rallied to win the final two sets, 6-4,6-3, after losing the first set, 6-3. The undefeated team of Nicole Blum and Ashley Devlin (13-0) lost a first set tiebreaker then also rallied to win the final two sets, 6-3,6-2.

Mainland won at No. 2 and No. 3 singles but the Mustangs’ No. 1 singles player, Claudia Mairone, had to retire due to illness and Ocean City’s Jordan Moyer (8-5) therefore won the match. Moyer was leading, 4-1, in the first set when the match ended.

OCHS will host Central Regional on Monday afternoon in the second round of the NJSIAA Group 3 Tournament. They go to Vineland on Tuesday and then play at Egg Harbor Township Thursday afternoon to break the first place tie.

Visit the Raider Sports Diary for day-by-day results and schedules at www.OceanCitySports.com.