By Steve Bigham

MONROE – With their teammates living and dying with every point, Sarah DiNicola and Jess Nicolosi pulled out a thrilling three-set match at third doubles last week to lift the Newtown High School girls’ tennis team to a 4-3 win at Masuk.

It was the first time the two girls had ever played together and will surely be remembered for a long time to come.

“The kids were so psyched,” said coach Kathy Davey. “Everybody was there at the side of the hill watching the match and cheering them on. No one would move..”

When it was over, the ‘Hawks had their third win of the season and DiNicola and Nicolosi were mobbed by teammates. The two had dropped the first set, 6-3, then had to battle back to take the second set 7-6 in a tiebreaker. They used their momentum to take the third set, 6-2.

DiNicola, a sophomore, and Nicolosi, a freshman, are both first-year players and their match was proof positive that high school tennis can be a team sport, if you let it.

 “I think they’re taking it to that level,” said coach Davey. “Yeah, you’re on the court by yourself, but they’re always pushing for one another, even from one court to the next you can hear them talking and supporting one another. They knew it was going to be a rebuilding year and they knew they would have to support one another.”

Newtown 4, Masuk 3

Singles: Dunja Vujinic (M) def Kunkel 6-1, 6-3; Martin (N) def Anja Vujinic 6-0, 6-1; Christine Kecher (M) def Pavelo 7-5, 6-0; Sloane Schnell (N) def Christine Vado 6-2, 6-1. Doubles: Naomi Kim/Rachel Stern (N) def Jaclyn Perlman/Cindy Tepper 6-1, 6-4; Rachel Devesterr/Evelina Zyskoswka (M) def Santarpia/Alpert 6-2, 2-6, 7-6; Sarah DiNicola/Jess Nicolosi (N) def Rebecca Tayne/Lindsey Roberts 3-6, 7-6, 6-2.