LONGMEADOW — The storied history between the Amherst Regional girls tennis team and Longmeadow added another chapter Monday afternoon.
This time, under the hot beaming sun, it didn’t go Amherst’s way.
The Lancers defeated the third-seeded Hurricanes, 3-2, to avenge last season’s loss and head to the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament final.
No. 2 Longmeadow (13-2) will play No. 5 Ludlow (18-4) Thursday at Western New England College. Ludlow beat No. 1 Minnechaug, 3-2.
Tied 2-2, the battle of rivals came down to a No. 2 singles match between Noelle Ehrenberg and Nya Saunders. With both teams watching together, Saunders dropped a 6-3, 4-6, 5-7 decision.
“Nya played a great match,” Amherst coach Gloria McCann said. “When it’s that close it really can go either way.”
Saunders’ teammates immediately greeted her upon exiting the fence door to the courts.
Allison McCann once again was dominant in first singles for the Hurricanes, beating Suzanne Elfman 6-0, 6-1. McCann faced some adversity, by her standards, in the second set after a couple unforced errors. But she won four consecutive games to best Elfman.
McCann, who is the two-time Western Massachusetts Individual singles champion, finished her high school career with a match record of 61-0 in team play.
At third singles, Amherst’s Margaret O’Connell beat Mia D’Angelo 6-1, 7-5 for the Hurricanes’ second point.
Amherst had inexperienced players at doubles this season, and the Hurricanes lost both of those matches to Longmeadow.
“They improved a lot,” Gloria McCann said of her doubles players. “I think if they work a lot in the offseason they can come back and make a very strong team.”
It was up to Amherst’s contingent of singles players to carve the path to another sectional title, but the room for error was minuscule.
“It was a great season,” McCann said. “A lot of improvement and I’m happy with their results today. Even with the loss.”
Amherst beat Longmeadow to win its third straight championship last season.
From 2009 to 2015 the Lancers and Hurricanes have met in the finals of the tournament, with the Hurricanes winning four times.
Longmeadow won titles from 2000-2008.
