Tennis: Xavier keeps streak alive with 5-4 win over Mtn. View

April 13, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Xavier Prep was forced to work a little harder than usual Monday in securing another dual tennis match, but the Gators managed to ede upstart Mesa Mountain View, 5-4, in a Division I matchup of the top two teams in the current power rankings at Xaver.

Two-time defending state singles champ Madison Clarke came up big winning her singles match and adding a doubles triumph with Caroline James that knotted the match at 4. Clarke, a senior, beat Mountain View freshman Anya Lamoreaux, 7-5, 6-4. Maddie Lamoreaux, twin sister of Anya, knocked off Scarlet Rush, 7-6, 6-2. Rush is a three-time defending champ in doubles.

Xavier and Mountain View were tied 3-3 after singles (Mountain View's 2-3-4 singles players (Maddie Lamoreaux, Hanna Nelson and Bella Cosenza won for a 3-1 lead). The longest match belonged to the No. 6 singles -- Mountain View's Hiatt and Xavier's Colliins. Collins won the 2-hour, 45-minute battle, 6-0, 7-5.

Mountain View moved back in front 4-3 after taking the first doubles match. That saw the Lamoreaux twins defeat Rush and Emily Aiken, (8-4). Xavier notched the final two doubles matches to prevail and run its dual-match winning streak to 69 dating back to the start of the 2011-2012 season. The final doubles match pitted Mountain View's McKensie Godfrey and Tatum Hiatt against Xavier's Jordan Craft and Anne Marie Collins. Xavier won, 8-1 with more aggressive, consistent play from the latter.

Xavier is 13-0 in power-ranking matches with one remaiing vs. Westwood. Xavier's lineup Monday consisted of three seniors, a  junior, sophomore and freshman. Mountain View is 10-1 and has matches remaining with three opponents, including top-10 teams Chaparral and Horizon. Mountain View's lineup Monday featured one senior, two sophomores and three freshmen.