Abington Heights ended Scranton Prep’s Lackawanna League girls tennis winning streak and moved to the brink of ending the Classics’ reign as champion.
Freshman Susan Arp pulled out a three-set victory at number-three singles Tuesday as host Abington Heights ended a 44-match league winning streak by the two-time defending champions.
Abington Heights improved to 12-0 with two matches left, Oct. 4 at home against Mid Valley and Oct. 6 at Scranton. Both remaining opponents have losing records, leaving the Comets as prohibitive favorites.
One win by Abington Heights clinches a first-place tie. The two anticipated wins would mean the championship for the Comets, who also won in 2018 when they defeated Scranton Prep, 3-2, for the last previous loss by the Classics.
Abington Heights is the last unbeaten after knocking off a fellow unbeaten for the second time in eight days.
Arp and the first doubles team of Faith Bennett-Hanna Adonizio had wins in both Tuesday’s victory and the previous showdown with Riverside.
The Comets overcame having to finish the match without three-time defending District 2 Class 3A singles champion Bella Peters, who defaulted with an injury, giving up a point on which Abington Heights can often count. Peters had lost just one league match in each of her four previous high school seasons prior to the default.
The teams split in doubles, but Rina Hanumai joined Arp in giving Abington Heights the two matches that were played to completion.
Bennett-Adonizio defeated Gisele Falzone-Ella Cohen in No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-0.
Scranton Prep’s Sofia Weidner-Sarah Aubrey topped Elina Joshi-Bernie Mullin, 6-3, 6-3.
Hanumali defeated Annie Johnson, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 2 singles for the day’s most decisive victory.
That left the team outcome down to the No. 3 singles and the only three-set match.
Arp defeated Leelah Farrell, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.
The Comets entered the match ranked first among Big Schools in the Riverfront Sports Super Six Girls Tennis Power Rankings of District 2 teams. The Classics were ranked first among Small Schools.
Peters and Scranton Prep freshman Alyssa Wigley were tied, 4-4, in the first set when Peters, the Lehigh University-commit who had already taken one medical timeout, decided to default.
After experiencing shoulder discomfort in warm-ups against North Pocono four days earlier, Peters played and won. The problem returned Tuesday and pain worsened as the day progressed.
Peters shut down at that point, hoping that resting the injury will improve her chances of being ready for the postseason where she will be defending her singles titles and Abington Heights is the defending District 2 Class 3A team champion.
The results from the match:
ABINGTON HEIGHTS 3, SCRANTON PREP 2
| Match | Winner | Team | Opponent | Result |
| No. 1 singles | Alyssa Wigley | SP | Bella Peters | 4-4, default |
| No. 2 singles | Rina Hanumali | AH | Annie Johnson | 6-1, 6-0 |
| No. 3 singles | Susan Arp | AH | Leelah Farrell | 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 |
| No. 1 doubles | Faith Bennett-Hanna Adonizio | AH | Gisele Falzone-Ella Cohen | 6-3, 6-0 |
| No. 1 doubles | Sofia Weidner-Sarah Aubrey | SP | Elina Joshi-Bernie Mullin | 6-3, 6-3 |
