LILY HAYWARD had an early lead against her SCAC nemesis in No. 1 singles Tuesday but couldn’t hang on.

Benicia High’s girls tennis team solidified its hold on first place in the Solano County Athletic Conference with a 7-2 victory over visiting Vanden on Tuesday.

The win kept Benicia undefeated in the SCAC (6-0) and clinched the season series with the Lady Vikings (4-2 SCAC), whose two losses have come against Benicia.

“Vanden came to play, bringing their ‘A’ game and taking two matches to three sets,” said Benicia tennis coach Lisa Burton.

Gabriella Traver pulled out a three-set victory for Benicia in No. 3 singles, winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Samantha Beyer survived a tough No. 4 singles match to win 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), Madeline Beyer won 6-2, 7-5 in No. 2 singles, and Nicole Go was a 6-3, 6-2 winner in No. 6 singles.

Lily Hayward played two-time defending SCAC champion Kiwi McDaniel tough in No. 1 singles but lost 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.

“The match was full of long rally exchanges, fast serves and deep baseline hitting, and in the end, Kiwi held on to win,” Burton said.

Benicia’s Katie Voss had to forfeit at No. 6 singles due to an injury.

The Lady Panthers pulled off an easy sweep in doubles. Emily Jewik and Madison Lammert teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 victory in No. 1 doubles. Mimi Esmerode and Angela Jennings were 6-3, 6-0 winners at No. 2, while Katie Steineman and Mariah McNally won their No. 3 doubles match, 6-0, 6-3.

Benicia plays at American Canyon on Thursday.

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