LEWISTON — Edward Little lost the war, but Mya Vincent won the battle.

By the time the No. 1 singles match started, Lewiston was already wrapping up a victory over the rival Red Eddies in girls tennis. Vincent, though, still had to duel with Lewiston senior Abby Svor.

Edward Little’s Mya Vincent hits a backhand during her No. 1 singles match against Lewiston’s Abigail Svor at the Lewiston High School courts Tuesday. Vincent defeated Svor in a match that lasted two and a half hours. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

A duel it was.

Vincent, a sophomore, outlasted Svor 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 for the No. 1 singles victory, but the Blue Devils won Tuesday’s home match 3-2.

“It’s a big win for Mya. It’s just going to boost her confidence,” Edward Little coach Kim Clark said. “They had a lot of long shots. They finished. I’m happy for Mya. I’m sure Abby is not that happy, but she played hard and she played well.”

Lewiston coach Anita Murphy, chatting with Clark during after the match, said, “Abby, she was not really disappointed that much. She played well.”

Both Murphy and Clark lauded the No. 1 singles players and the rare opportunity they both had for a competitive match this season.

“This was the best match for both these girls,” Murphy said. “It was fun to see because they got to hit with somebody who could return a ball.”

Svor said to Murphy as she was walking off the court, “It was a good experience for both of us.”

Murphy said she told Svor after the second set that she had wanted her to get to a third set. Svor then made the tiebreaking third set interesting, battling back from down 4-1 and 5-2 to draw within 5-4 before Vincent finished off the win. The No. 1 singles match was a marathon, lasting two and a half hours.

“I knew that that was going to be a tough match for either girl, and that it was going to be very competitive,” Murphy said. “It was great. I didn’t want it to end.”

Edward Little also got a win at No. 3 singles, as Paige Morgan beat Lewiston fill-in Whitney Perkins 6-1, 6-0. Murphy said the Blue Devils’ normal No. 3 Lauren Foster will be back Wednesday.

“(Lewiston) won 3-2. I think all the years I’ve coached, it’s always been 5-0,” Clark said. “I don’t think we’ve won a match against Lewiston for years and years.”

Svor’s twin sister, Julia, beat Vincent’s senior cousin Molly Vincent 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.

In the No. 1 doubles tilt, Lewiston’s Julia Paquette and Libby Forgues beat Izzy Trombley and Mai Luu 6-2, 6-0. In No. 2 doubles, Claudia Cucubica and Emma Omiecinski held on for a 6-2, 6-4 win over Rhassya Kamel and Mariah Kirouac.

“I thought my doubles played very well,” Murphy said. “My second doubles, we’ve been trying to put a team together. They’re brand new girls, and I’m really proud of the way they played today. They played very well together.”