Blydenburgh, Chatham defend MCT tennis titles again
RANDOLPH Perhaps it was the sight of an unfamiliar opponent on the opposite side of the net that made Chatham’s Scarlett Blydenburgh just a bit anxious prior to her Morris County Tournament first singles final against Kinnelon freshman Britany Lau. Or maybe it was simply the realization that she and her teammates were closing in on a third straight Morris County Tournament championship.
Whatever the reason, the two-time defending MCT champion did what she usually does when she is presented with a challenge. She dug deep and gutted out a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over a stubborn Lau to earn her third consecutive MCT first singles crown and in the process earned the decisive point that earned the Cougars their third straight county team title.
Chatham swept the singles and won four individual flights in earning a tournament-best 22 points. Mendham finished as runner-up with 19 while Montville was third with 15.
“I feel like a lot of pressure has been taken off of me,” said Blydenburgh following her victory over Lau. “I was expecting to play Lauren (Hassell) again in the final and Britany is a freshman and a 5-star recruit that I had never played before so I got nervous. Then I told myself that I was the number one seed for a reason and that I would have to fight to win this match.”
And fight she did.
After winning a tight opening set, Blydenburgh rolled off four straight games to grab a 4-1 lead in the second. But Lau, who had not lost a set all season, battled back to force a tiebreaker after fighting off a match point in the 10th game. Blydenburgh again sprinted out to a 4-1 lead in the tiebreak, only to watch Lau pull even by winning the next three points.
That’s when Blydenburgh dug in and showed her championship form. The junior got to match point again at 6-4 by lacing a backhand winner down the line. She then closed out the match when Lau hit a forehand into the net.
“I think I started looking a little too far ahead to the team trophy when I was up in the second set,” Blydenburgh said. “I had to remind myself that the match wasn’t over and that I needed to continue to compete.”
The Cougars also crowned champions at second and third singles, respectively, where freshman Seden Agar and junior Laurel Hickey, who played doubles last year, earned titles in straight sets. Agar was the first player off the court after her convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory Morristown’s Meghan Acampora.
"All of my attack shots were working and I was very consistent today,” Agar said. “This is just overwhelming.”
Chatham added a fourth individual champion at second doubles, where Abby Morgan and Jen McCann scored a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over Mendham’s Olivia McCarthy and Caitlin Fischer.
Mendham won the first doubles title when top seeds Charlie Trinco and Alexandrea Smith posted a 7-5, 6-2 win over Montville’s Paige Godau and Emma Bernstein.
MCT finals
First singles: Scarlett Blydenburgh (Chatham) d. Britany Lau (Kinnelon), 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Second singles: Seden Agar (Chatham) d. Meghan Acampora (Morristown), 6-2, 6-1.
Third singles: Laurel Hickey (Chatham) d. Lindsey Hernandez (Mendham), 6-4, 6-2.
First doubles: Charlie Trinco and Alexandrea Smith (Mendham) d. Paige Godau and Emma Bernstein (Montville), 7-5, 6-2.
Second doubles: Abby Morgan and Jen McCann (Chatham) d. Olivia McCarthy and Caitlin Fischer (Mendham), 6-4, 7-6 (4).