Westhampton Beach Girls Tennis Team Denies East Hampton In 7-0 Shutout

These three Westhampton Beach sisters are looking to go all the way.

And with a 7-0 sweep of rival East Hampton/Pierson, it’s looking like playoffs may soon be in sight for Way sisters Emma, Kylie and Ana and the rest of the Hurricanes girls tennis team.

“We always debate who’s going to win this one. Every year,” said Emma, a senior. “I’m really proud of everyone.”

She and her fellow Hurricanes had the September 17 home match circled on their calendars for weeks. What they didn’t expect was to shut down the Bonackers on all seven courts for the first time since the second meeting of the two teams in 2018.

Kylie, a sophomore, and her doubles partner, senior Emily D’Alessandro, clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-1 win over East Hampton’s No. 1 doubles duo of juniors Lily Somers and Riley Roesel.

“I love playing down the line and at net — it’s like my home. It’s really helped against better girls, especially this year,” Kylie said. “I love tennis. It’s been my entire life. Being here with my sisters and winning, especially, felt great.”

“In doubles, one of the big things we’ve been working on is closing on the net and mixing it up instead of going cross-court every time,” Westhampton Beach first-year head coach Matt Reed added. “The doubles teams stepped it up big time today.”

Emma followed right behind with a 6-2, 6-3 win over sophomore Lyla Wilson after some long rallies at fourth singles and Ana, an eighth-grader, was next off the court with senior Alexandra Sielaw after their victory in the No. 2 doubles spot over Pierson sophomore Rachel Monaco and East Hampton senior Bella Walsh, 6-1, 6-4.

Ana, the team’s youngest newcomer, said playing with a soon-to-be-graduate has helped her immensely. When she and her partner realized one of their opponents kept migrating to the middle of the court, they attacked down the line, which worked.

“The younger girls are learning from the experienced girls,” the eighth-grader said. “This was a big confidence-booster, for sure.”

Westhampton Beach senior Katelyn Stabile kicked things off with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep of eighth-grader Audrey Monaco at second singles, and freshman Matilda Buchen followed close behind after a 6-1, 6-0 defeat over Pierson senior Sandrine Becht at first singles.

“I definitely didn’t play my best, but you win some, you lose some — that’s just how it goes in tennis,” Becht said. “I don’t think any of us played to our full potential, but I plan to play even more and improve for my next match. I think as the team develops they’re going to grow strong and be strong for years to come.”

The senior said facing a team like Westhampton’s is a great experience, especially for the new girls.

“They’re one of the best teams,” Becht said. “Facing them helps develop your character and your game.”

Westhampton Beach junior Melina Pinonzek and sophomore Julia Greiner closed things out with a 7-5, 6-2 win over East Hampton sophomore Sam Pillco and Pierson freshman Caleigh Barletta.

East Hampton head coach Kevin McConville said despite the loss he saw a lot of improvement in his singles players, Wilson especially, but said he’d like to see his girls utilize more of the court.

“When they play someone that’s better than them at the baseline I don’t want them to be out of options,” the coach said. “I want them to use the drop shot and bring them in, come in themselves and be aggressive. I asked them not to be one-dimensional. That was the bottom line.”

Reed said his girls, too, have been growing every match and support each other every step of the way. “And what we work on in practice, they’re implementing in their matches, which is very impressive. It’s good to see,” he said. “They cheer each other on, have a lot of laughs and a lot of fun. They’re such a tremendous group of girls.”

With the three sisters leading the way — quite literally. And they’ve got a message for their opponents.

“Get out of the way,” Emma said, smiling. “I think we’re going to go really far.”