Opening day for Liberty and Bethlehem Catholic’s girls tennis teams resulted in thrilling 4-3 victories for both the Hurricanes and the Golden Hawks on Aug. 21.

Liberty hosted Emmaus with a number one doubles match serving as the decider as Helena Lynn and Stephanie Zheng (L) defeated Ashlyn Phy and Natalie Marks (E), 6-0, 6-1.

Lynn played to a 6-0, 6-0, victory over Phy at number one singles, and Zheng won, 6-2, 7-5, over Marks at number two singles earlier in the day to kick off the ‘Canes home opener.

In a three-hour-long match, Kiera Gilboy (E) defeated Sophia Csatari (L) at number three singles, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (4).

“Sophia battled off four match points and got into a tiebreak, so just a whole lot of battling throughout the day,” said Liberty coach Chris Conrad. “She faced a girl that, honestly, she can beat, and she should be proud of the effort that she put in because every point was a battle. It was a 50-50 match, and unfortunately, it didn’t go our way, but she’s proven that she can hang with some of the better players in this district.”

Csatari and Gilboy played at doubles for their respective teams last year.

“Both players played outstanding,” said Emmaus coach Robert Dragotta. “That was just a great match, and Kiera was just a little bit better. She was controlling the point and when she kept it in, she won the point. They both played fantastic. That’s an awesome match when it goes over three hours.”

In doubles play, Ava Sabetti and Abigail Mayes (L) defeated Ava Grace Saab and Sophia Kaufman (E) at number two, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

“They had different game styles, but at the same time, they were even,” Coach Conrad said. “They were equal in terms of ability.”

Mayes finished off the first game with an overhead at the net, and the Hurricane pair took a 3-0 lead in the first set, but Saab’s shots down the line put Emmaus back in the match as the Hornets won the first set.

“We came out really strong, and then it started to wear off a little bit,” Mayes said. “This year we’ve really been focusing on play at the net because [Coach Conrad] says we can’t beat it at the baseline and always work hard on splitting and at their feet. Emmaus is one of the better teams, and it really helps that we could beat them.”

Liberty was down 2-5 in the second set but roared back to win the next five games.

“It was basically a coin flip if we were gonna win or not,” said Sabetti. “I think it’s mainly in your head. Tennis is more of a mental game. We also play field hockey, so we knew we could out hustle them. We knew we were gonna be a bit quicker.”

The Hurricanes trailed 0-2 in the third set but took a 3-2 lead with straight points in the fifth game.

“We’re both very competitive people, so when we start to lose, especially that first set, it kind of started going downhill, but we knew we couldn’t lose because we’re both so competitive,” said Sabetti.

Three doubles was won by Natalie Hillegas and Brooke DiGiacomo (E) over Bella Cantelmi and Rachel Lin (L), 6-2, 6-0, and Gab Tranguch and Malena Stetz (E) defeated Angela Schray and Corinne Mumma (L), 6-0, 6-2, at four doubles.

“If we just get better every single time we step on the court, that’s the goal,” Conrad said.

First-year Bethlehem Catholic head coach Dan Arkans reported that the Hawks’ match at Pocono Mountain East wasn’t decided until Josie Fiorini (B) pulled out a 7-6 (5), 6-1, victory over Sam Christman (P) at two singles followed by a surprise, 6-2, 6-3, victory for newcomers Louisa Robinson and Deidre Michels (B) over Gia Hannig and Victoria Goloszka (P) at four doubles.

At one singles, Elizabeth Trott (P) defeated Ava Burkart (B), 6-3, 6-0, and at three singles, Grace Farley (P) defeated Judy Pintor (B), 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

In doubles matches, Christman and Jaclyn Foreit (P) defeated Abby Gallich and Sasha Mathew (B), 8-1, Madison Araniego and Elizabeth Schock (B) defeated Makayla Grives and Kelly Smith (P), 6-4, 6-2, and Kiley Parkes and Sofia Fiorini (B) defeated Jaclyn Foreit and Madison Grives (P), 6-4, 6-4.

Scores for Freedom’s match at Allentown Central Catholic were unavailable at Press deadlines.