EAST PROVIDENCE — Make it an even dozen of victories to date for the East Providence High School girls' tennis team as the Townies remained undefeated and atop the Division III standings with four more dominating wins over the last week.

EPHS said its record improve to a perfect 12-0 with just two matches left next week before the start of the 2023 league playoffs.

The run began on October 5 with a 7-0 defeat of neighbor and rival St. Mary Academy-Bay View in the first meeting between the sides since the Bengals edged the Townies by a point for the league championship last season. The next day, October 6, the Townies throttled yet another of the sides considered to be among the contenders for this year's D-III title as the hosts bettered visiting Cranston East by a 6-1 count.

And earlier this week, EPHS in total dropped only four games in its seven matches in a 7-0 victory over winless Central (0-10) in Providence. The next afternoon, Oct. 11, the Townies added another easy win over a Providence side, this time 7-0 against visiting Classical in city.

"We do our best to have strong take away from each match we’re in. We reflect on those moments as a team and try to grow on it," EPHS head coach Slade Sharma said of the Townies' approach even in contests against lesser opponents.

He continued about his team's record and ultimate aim, "We know that the position we’re in can create comfort. So in a lot of ways we’re challenging ourselves to disregard that comfort, keep our foot on the gas and get better every day. It’s worked. As much as this is incredibly impressive we as a team know that the win that matters the most will be played on November 4th."

Saturday, Nov. 4, is the date of the league championship match at Slater Park in Pawtucket.

Cranston East notes

The only negative to come from East Providence's near shutout of the Thunderbolts was the first loss of the season suffered by Lena Shanty, who dropped her outing at two singles by the scores of 6-2 and 6-4 to East's Thora Corcoran. Shanty became the last of the Townie regulars at singles to suffer a defeat, the senior's individual record fell to 9-1.

Hope Moran (7-6, 3-6, 6-4) needed three sets to earn her win over the 'Bolts' Helena Fisher at one singles while at three dubs the team of Rylee Thurber-Ava Domingues (6-3, 4-6, 10-6 super-breaker) also went the distance.

Megha Tenneti was a 0-and-2 winner at three singles and Caroline Haggerty won her match at four 1-and-6 (7-4).

The top two EPHS tandems of Isabella Hurley and Madison Luu (1-and-0) and Tianna Brierly-Maggie Robinson (0-and-1) also cruised to victories.

Central notes

All three of the usual EPHS doubles teams and Tenneti in singles bageled their opponents from Central Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 10, winning 6-0 and 6-0. Moran won her match at one singles, 1-and-2, while Shanty won 0-and-1 at two and Haggerty by the reverse score at four.

Classical notes

Moran played the toughest of the matches, going the three set distance (5-7, 6-4, 6-1) to defeat Classical's Grace Koszela at No. 1 singles.

Shanty (2-and-0), Tenneti (2-and-2) and Haggerty (2-and-1) won their singles outings with relative ease as did the teams of Hurley-Luu (0-and-0)  and Brierly-Robinson (6-3, 6-3) in doubles. The Thurber-Domingues received a forfeit.

The Townies as of yet have drop a point in doubles so far, going 12-0 all together. The pairings have been the same except for one match when Hurley subbed in for an absent Haggerty in singles two weeks ago against Shea, also winning that match by the scores of 6-1 and 6-1. Brierly and Thurber moved up a spot in the lineup to combine with Luu and Robinson, respectively, while Isabella Periquito teamed with Domingues at No. 3.

East Providence plays its final regular season home match Monday, Oct. 16, against Hope at 4:45 p.m. then closes out its league slate on Thursday, Oct. 19, at Exeter-West Greenwich at 3:30 p.m.