The Patriots’ Gabby Gorzkowski, right, rallies against the Warriors’ Natalie Leibman, back right, and Morgan Slusser, back left, at No.1 doubles. Gorzkowski’s partner Ella Swan, left, looks on. The Warriors edged out the Patriots in the first set, 7-5.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
No.2 singles player for the Patriots, Laura Farber, returns serve during first set action against Wyoming Area’s Emma Kratz.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area’s No.2 singles player Emma Kratz hits a forehand back to Pittston Area’s Laura Farber. Kratz took the first set off of Farber 6-4.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Warrior Cadance Cable moves forward on a short ball against Pittston Area’s Ayla Krieger in the No.1 singles match. Cable took the first set 6-4.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area’s No.1 singles player, Ayla Krieger, returns a serve during first set action against Wyoming Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — Wyoming Area prepared for a stretch of four straight matches against teams with winning records by handling rival Pittston Area for a 5-0 Wyoming Valley Conference girls tennis victory Friday afternoon.
“We’re going into the meat of our season,” Lady Warriors coach Bill Roberts said of a stretch that begins with a Monday match at Holy Redeemer (5-1) and continues at home Wednesday against WVC co-leader Crestwood (7-0). “Holy Redeemer starts us off. … We have four in a row that are really tough matches.”
Wyoming Area will take a 5-2 record into that stretch.
“I didn’t think we’d be at five wins already,” Roberts said. “A lot of these girls are sophomores coming out and playing for the first time.
“They’re really exceeding my expectations right now. They haven’t met the tougher opponents yet, but this was a good test for us. Pittston played us tough and they came through.”
Players from Pittston Area (1-5 in the WVC and 1-6 overall) won at least one game in every set, but were unable to win any of the sets.
Morgan Slusser and Natalie Leibman fought off the strongest challenge, beating Ella Swan-Gabby Gorzkowski, 7-5, 6-2, at first doubles where Wyoming Area has gone 6-1 this season.
Cadance Cable, Emily Kratz and Sarah Willison posted the singles wins.
Cable is 3-4 while handling the challenge of facing opponents’ top players at No. 1 singles where she defeated Pittston Area’s Ayla Krieger, 6-4, 6-1.
Kratz and Willison each improved to 5-2 with their wins. Kratz topped Laura Farber, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 2 and Willson downed Emily Hannah, 6-1, 6-1.
Selena Nova-Emily Shulde won No. 2 doubles over Samantha Ruszin-Abigail Kovac, 6-1, 6-4.
Wyoming Area 5, Wilkes-Barre Area 0
Sarah Willison also had the most decisive victory during Tuesday’s road win, beating Aaralynn Mbaye, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 3.
Cadance Cable and the doubles teams of Morgan Slusser-Erica Gilligan and Selena Nova-Emily Shulde posted 6-1, 6-1 victories.
Emma Kratz also won in straight sets.
Dallas 5, Pittston Area 0
Host Dallas won each point in straight sets during Tuesday’s WVC match.
The No. 2 doubles team of Sophia Montagna-Jayda Eike won five games before falling and Ayla Krieger won four games at No. 1 singles in her loss to Sophia DePolo.
