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Sports

Rams Snap Greenwich's Three-Year Winning Streak

A late arrival clinches the win for New Canaan girls tennis.

The New Canaan Rams girls tennis team ended a Greenwich winning streak when they beat the Cardinals in the FCIAC championship game in 2006. The Cardinals hadn't lost again until Friday, when the Rams beat them 4-3.

Having won three FCIAC and four state titles during their 83-game winning streak, home team Greenwich was 13-0 on the season coming into Friday's contest. New Canaan, which has met Greenwich in the FCIAC final in each of the last three years, entered at 14-0.

"It was a great win.The girls played to their potential." said Rams Coach Gail Overback. "The singles came through big, and my No. 1 doubles team (Alyssa Baker and Kimmy Glerum) is undefeated just like last year."

Tina Tehrani at No. 1 singles beat Jenn DeLuca 6-0, 6-1, and Kate Mannelly at No. 2 was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Danielle Cepelewicz.

The Cardinals only match victory in singles came at No. 3 where Samantha Stone beat Caitlin Gallagher 6-4, 7-5.

Gallagher's sister, Courtney won at No. 4 in a most dramatic manner. After arriving an hour late, having taken a Latin AP test and then gotten lost on her way to Greenwich High School, she defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-2 in what turned out to be the clincher for New Canaan.

The large crowd in attendance headed over to the doubles court where, at No. 1, Baker and Glerum straight-setted Leah Tagiarino and Jordana Cepelewicz, 6-2, 6-0.

In No. 2 doubles, the Cardinal's team of Michelle Vogt and Anna Sweeney beat Sara Greene and Kristin Laub, 6-0, 6-4.

The most exciting match of the day came at No. 3 doubles where Katey Hopper and Lauren Daccache edged Schuyler Higgins and Amanda Merjian in three sets. The Cardinals took the first set at love; the Rams the second set, 6-4 and then in the third and deciding set New Canaan squandered three match points and Hopper/Deccache won in a tiebreak, 7-6 (3).

"If the two teams meet again in the FCIAC's, I hope we'll be able to win the second time around," Overbeck said of the doubles match.

The Rams conclude the regular season with a home match against Norwalk Monday, May 17, followed by an away game at Fairfield Warde the following day.

The FCIAC playoffs begin at the NCHS courts on May 20.

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