Photos by Jim Marczesky Cardinal Newman's Tori August hits a backhand against Hammond's Beth Cotter. August won 6- 4, 6- 3. The Cardinal Newman girls' tennis team defeated Hammond 6- 3 to win its home opener on Tuesday, September 2.

The feature match was between the number ones, Tori August of CN and Beth Cotter of Hammond. The first set was a roller coaster affair, including five service breaks and two games with four or more deuces. August got the last service break, though, and won the set 6- 4. In the second set Cotter took an early lead by breaking August in the third game, but August broke back in the sixth game and would not lose another game, breaking Cotter again in the eighth game and winning the set 6- 3.

The twos and threes were the most intriguing matches, as both went to 10- point tiebreak third sets. In the threes, Rosanne Sullivan of Hammond won the first set over the Cardinals' Andrea Martin, 6- 4, but Martin came back to force the tiebreak with a 6- 4 win in the second set. Martin then outlasted Sullivan 10- 5 in the tiebreak to win the match. In the twos, Cardinal Newman's Evan Black lost her first set to Layna Plyler 7- 6, but bounced back to take the second set 6- 3. A long tiebreak followed, and Black came out on top, 10- 7, clinching the victory for the Cardinals.

Hammond's Beth Cotter hits a high volley. Cardinal Newman (2- 0, 2- 0 in Region I- AAA) travels to Heathwood next Tuesday, September 9. Hammond (2- 1, 2- 1) hosts Pinewood Prep on Thursday, September 4.

Results: Singles - Tori August (CN) d. Beth Cotter (H) 6-4, 6- 3; Evan Black (CN) d. Layna Plyler (H) 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7); Andrea Martin (CN) d. Rosanne Sullivan (H) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5); Alex August (CN) d. Alexandra Little (H) 6-0, 6-2; Lilie Jane Hudson (H) d. Lauren Nottoli (CN) 6-1, 6-4; Kelsey Zokan (CN) d. Anna Elise Goudelock (H) 6-1, 6-4; Doubles - B. Cotter/Madison Kocher (H) d. T. August/E. Black (CN) 8-6; A. Martin/A. August (CN) d. L. Plyler/R. Sullivan (H) 8-2; Brooks Burnside/ Elizabeth Stuckey (H) d. Megan Cleaves/Leila Heidari (CN) 8-2.