Tennis
Pembroke girls tennis advances to state championship following appeal to MIAA
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“Upon further review” isn’t a phrase you hear often in high school sports, but it applies to the Pembroke girls tennis team.
On Thursday morning, the Titans found out that, yes, they could celebrate winning their first-ever state semifinal … for the second straight day.
Pembroke’s first (abbreviated) party came Wednesday after wrapping up what coach Jessica Walls and company thought was a 3-2 win over two-time defending state champ Newburyport in the Division 3 semis at Sharon High’s courts. That overall match was tied 2-2 and had come down to the third set of the decisive No. 3 singles match with Pembroke’s Emma Gerlach beating Bridgette Mellet, 6-6 (7-4), 4-6, 10-7 (tiebreaker).
The issue: under the direction of the MIAA-appointed United State Tennis Association official in charge of the match, Gerlach and Mellet had played a first-to-10-points tiebreaker instead of a complete third set, running afoul of the MIAA Handbook Rule 81.1.1, which states: “All matches are to be decided on the basis of best-two-out-of-three sets with a 7-point tiebreaker when a set reaches 6-6 in games. (Local conditions may cause an adjustment of this rule by prior mutual consent).”
Realizing the error after the fact, Newburyport protested. About 45 minutes after the match had concluded, the MIAA ruled that Gerlach and Mellet would have to return to Sharon on Thursday afternoon to play a complete third set.
Pembroke athletic director Brian Phillips lodged an appeal, eventually speaking with MIAA Executive Director Bob Baldwin. On Thursday morning, the MIAA reversed course and sided with the Titans. Third-seeded Pembroke (19-2) now will play No. 4 Weston (8-11) in the Div. 3 state final on Saturday at 9 a.m. at MIT.
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“Interesting, to say the least,” Phillips said of the saga. “The USTA official on site directed that the third set was going to be a 10-point tiebreaker, win by two. At that point in time, the players were aware, the coaches were aware. There were no questions. We relied on guidance from the USTA official.”
The MIAA’s statement:
During an MIAA Girls Tennis state semifinal match on Wednesday, June 12 between Pembroke High School and Newburyport High School, there was a misapplication of the format for play by an MIAA official on site.
The singles match in question was played to its conclusion, and a winner declared. MIAA Rule 17 states in part that, “All results shall be final when the contest has been concluded by the game officials.” Rule 17 is consistently applied across all sports.
MIAA Rule 81.1 states in part that, “Massachusetts high school tennis shall be played under the rules of the United States Tennis Association.” The “Principles” section of the USTA Friends of Court states in part that, “Shaking hands at the end of a match is an acknowledgement by the players that the match is over.”
Pembroke High School is the winner of the singles match in question, and the result of the match between the two schools is final.
Said Phillips: “As an MIAA member school, we appreciate when those Handbook rules are applied and they’re followed. That’s what they’re there for. … Although the format might have not been properly instructed by the official, neither team started with a competitive advantage or disadvantage. Both girls were zero-zero in the third set. We were fortunate enough to come out on top.
“It wasn’t a fun moment trying to work through that, but I think we prevailed with the Handbook rules and the right decision was made.”
“I am thankful that the MIAA was willing to hear our appeal, and I believe that the decision they reached was fair to all of the involved parties,” Walls said. “I congratulate Newburyport on a tremendous season, and I was impressed with their sportsmanship and respect for our team.”
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The decision allows Pembroke to continue one of its best seasons. The Titans claimed their first-ever Patriot League Fisher Division this spring and will be playing in a state final for the very first time.
“My players have been nothing short of amazing this year,” said Walls, who saluted the Titans’ “tenacity the past few weeks.”
“We have such a great group of girls that we felt like they’ve earned this opportunity,” Phillips said. “They’re so excited to compete on Saturday.”
In the semifinals, Pembroke’s other points came at first singles (Nicole Makarewicz won, 6-1, 6-3) and second singles (Ruth Dannison won, 6-2, 6-1). Makarewicz is 19-0 on the season and repeated as the Fisher Division MVP. She’s 41-1 for her career. Dannison is 19-2 on the season (57-6 for her career), and Gerlach is 19-2 on the season.
Pembroke’s doubles teams in the semifinals were Amanda Considine/Maddie Buckley (No. 1) and Lauren Pearson/Claire Richardson (No. 2).
Pembroke lost to Newburyport, 4-0, in the Round of 8 last season, concluding an 18-5 campaign.
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