LEXINGTON — Everywhere you looked, there were smiles. It’s not the typical scene at the conclusion of a Final Four tennis match. On one side of the post-match gathering, No.
4 Weston advanced to the Div. 3 girls state championship. On the other? Top-seeded Wilmington was going home.
The Wildcats’ season ended with a 4-1 defeat at Lexington High School on Wednesday afternoon. It was tough to tell who won and who lost. “We’re all very happy even though we lost this one,” said Wilmington head coach Christina Woods.
“We’re ending on a happy note because this was a great season.” “I couldn’t ask for anything more,” added Weston head coach Dyanne Sainato. “They are amazing girls and they all fight really hard.
” Both squads had plenty of reason to celebrate. Wilmington’s sprint to the state semifinals marks the longest postseason run in program history. The Wildcats went from 4-13 to 14-6 in one season.
And Weston (8-11) is one triumph away from avenging its defeat in the title match last June when it meets No. 3 Pembroke for the title. Weston, which went 4-11 in the regular season, led 4-0 before Wilmington’s Shubhangi Tripathi edged Maya Roseh in third singles.
Weston’s gauntlet of a schedule in the Dual County League made it ready for the biggest stage. “It really prepares us,” said Sainato. “Typically, it’s hard going in because we’re underestimated usually.
Playing schools like Lincoln-Sudbury and Boston Latin, even if we get a point .