While it’s true that the time-tested and intense rivalry between the athletic teams from Londonderry High School and Pinkerton Academy quite often makes for great head-to-head meetings, there are times when there’s an unmistakable letdown.
One such example arose last Friday afternoon at Londonderry’s Nelson Road tennis courts where the undefeated girls’ tennis squads from LHS and Pinkerton met up. And it didn’t wind up being much of a match at all.
Coach Tom Meighan’s hosting Lady Lancers ended up having an easy time of it with the visiting Pinkerton Lady Astros, defeating the rival by an overwhelming 8-1 score.
That outcome pushed the Londonderry crew’s season record up to 3-0, while Pinkerton moved to 4-1 with its first defeat.
All of the LHS squad’s wins were lopsided, with singles victories being bagged by Cassie Burbine (8-0), Ana Milosavljevic (8-0), Marissa Beaton (8-3), Anna Shveshkeyev (8-2), and Sarah DePasquale (8-3).
Londonderry’s doubles sweep was accomplished by the duos of Burbine and Milosavljevic (8-2), Beaton and DePasquale (8-1), and Shveshkeyev and Katherine Dwyer (8-5).
But the Londonderry contingent suffered its first loss of the campaign somewhat disappointingly on its own home courts this past Monday in a 5-4 decision to the tough and determined, visiting Manchester Central Little Green contingent.
The Queen City crew moved to 4-2 by claiming the win, and Meighan’s mob moved to 3-1 as the Lady Lancers saw how tough D-I can be.