EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence High School girls' tennis team opened up its 2016 season last week with a split of two Division III matches, including a narrow 4-3 loss to Middletown in the Townies' home opener Friday, Sept. 9.

After Middletown's Annie Levs began the match with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 win over the Townies' Tess Amore at No. 1 singles, the sides contested six very tight matches.

East Providence's Victoria Luchi, at second singles, and Mary McBride, at the third position, suffered three-set losses by the scores of 3-6, 6-4 and 6-1 and 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, respectively. Lillian Conti provided the Townies with their lone solo point with her 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) win at the fourth spot.

The three doubles outings were just as competitive. E.P.'s top tandem of Meg Amore and Tess Lyons dropped a three-set decision (1-6, 7-5, 6-3) while the Townies' second and third pairings of Jessica Costello-Rachael LaValley and Emily Ramsey-Arianna Seagrave were winners by the scores of 6-1, 6-1 and 6-3, 4-6, 10-8, respectively.

East Providence had a much easier go in their season opener, September 8, beating host Tiverton by a 7-0 count. Amore (6-4, 2-6, 6-4), Luchi (6-4, 2-6, 6-4), McBride (6-3, 6-2) and Conti (6-1, 6-4) swept singles play.

In doubles, the teams of Lyons-Amore (3-6, 6-0, 6-4), Costello-LaValley (6-1, 6-0) and Ramsey-Madison Turner (6-2, 7-5) were also victorious.

Tess Amore, a senior, opens the year as the Townies' No. 1, a spot she has held for the better part of her high school career. Luchi, a junior, is a newcomer to the team, a transfer student from Brazil. Her brother, Pedro, played No. 1 for the E.P. boys' team last spring as a freshman. Conti, a junior, returns to singles while McBride, also a junior, moves into the solo rotation. Lyons, a sophomore, pairs with Meg Amore, a freshman. Juniors Ramsey, Turner and Costello along with seniors Seagrave and LaValley all played doubles a year ago.

The Townies went 7-7 last fall, placing fifth in the seven-team Division III-A standings and missing the playoffs by one game to fourth-place Rogers (8-6).

East Providence is back in action Monday afternoon, Sept. 12, when the Townies host West Warwick at 3:30 p.m.