Alex Klemperer of Falmouth reaches during a volley with Clay Canterberry of Freeport during MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)
PORTLAND — Like 56 other players at the Maine Principals’ Association tournament, Abby Svor’s singles season came to an end at The Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday.
Unlike most of her peers, however, the Lewiston freshman has plenty of time to use what she learned in reaching the state quarterfinals to climb the ladder next year and beyond.
Svor, the No. 9 seed, defeated unseeded Sammi Saulter of Waterville, 6-2, 6-1 in the Round of 16, then fell to the powerful top seed from Kennebunk-Wells, Rosemary Campanella, 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
“It’s always good playing better players because you learn from it,” Svor said. “It’s been a learning experience, which is great because I’ve got three more years. Making the top eight as a freshman is pretty great.”
“My serves went well, and overall my hitting was great,” she added.
Campanella and the top seed on the boys’ side, Nick Forester of Falmouth, advanced to the semifinals, scheduled to take place along with the finals at Bates College on Monday. In the event of rain, both rounds will be moved to The Racket and Fitness Center.
Campanella, a senior whose younger sister, Grace, also advanced to the semifinals, will seek her third finals appearance and her first state title on Monday.
“I think the important thing for Monday is just that I go into my match prepared,” Campanella said. “My goal is to just play my best tennis on Monday and to expect my opponents to play their best tennis going into the match.”
Rosemary Campanella will face 12th-seeded Jocelyn Bolt of Gorham in the semifinals. Grace Campanella will face No. 6 Caitlin Cass of Lincoln Academy.
Bolt rallied to knock off No. 5 Meredith Kelley of Falmouth, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 in the Round of 16, then defeated No. 4 Gabrielle Marquis of Caribou, 6-3, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.
Rain forced Saturday’s slate indoors, flipping conditions for competitors who played in the heat and wind at Deering Oaks Park on Friday.
“It was much different (Friday),” Forester said. “It was really windy and warm. I think today’s conditions were more favorable for everyone. I don’t think anyone was able to play their best tennis (Friday).”
Clad in a green Boston Celtics t-shirt, Forester lamented that he might not be able to stay up for Sunday night’s NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 to ensure he’s well-rested for the 9:30 a.m. start on Monday.
Despite not losing a single game in either round on Saturday — bouncing unseeded Dennis Stewart of Bangor, then ninth-seeded Quinn Clarke of Portland — Forester said he still had some things to improve upon for Monday.
“I had too many unforced errors from behind the baseline and I want to shore up my volleys a little bit,” he said. “I’d like a higher first-hit percentage. Overall, though, I didn’t make too many mistakes today. I just want to be more solid (on Monday).”
Awaiting Forester in the semis will be Mt. Ararat’s Peter Mao, the fourth seed who overcame back problems to win his quarterfinal with fifth-seeded Thorne Kieffer of Waynflete, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
“I had a bit of tightness that I started really feeling about halfway through the second set,” Mao said. “It felt better after the medical timeout. I just had to stick with it and not fall into making long points.”
Monday’s other semifinal pits No. 3 Alex Klemperer of Falmouth against No. 7 Jacob Greene of Waynflete, who upset No. 2 seed Declan Archer of Kennebunk-Wells, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, in the quarterfinals.
Before playing in the Round of 16, Archer had to complete his second-round match against Portland’s Dana Hinchliffe, which was suspended Friday due to darkness with Archer leading 6-2, 1-0. He finished off the second set, 6-4, on Saturday.
Jocelyn Bolt of Gorham follows through from a backhand during a match with Meredith Kelley of Falmouth during MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)Matthew Ray of Falmouth sends a shot back to Jacob Greene of Waynflete during MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)Katie Gilman of Cape Elizabeth makes connection during MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)Quinn Clark of Portland, right, shakes hands with Zach Flannery of Hamden Academy following their match during the MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)Jacob Greene of Waynflete aims to connect during a match with Matthew Ray of Falmouth at MPA state singles tennis championship at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)Quinn Clark of Portland returns a shot to Zach Flannery of Hamden Academy during a match at MPA state singles tennis championships at the Racket and Fitness Center on Saturday. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald)
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