Hopkinton’s boys tennis team suffered its first loss of the season yesterday afternoon, falling 5-0 to a strong Shrewsbury squad. The Hillers entered the matchup at 4-0 and had not lost in the regular season since 2024, but the Colonials proved to be a difficult opponent and controlled the match from start to finish.
Joe Krattenmaker and several other Hopkinton players had stretches of solid play, including some competitive rallies and tiebreakers, but Shrewsbury’s depth made the difference. The Colonials now sit at a perfect 5-0 and look like a serious contender again this season after making the D1 playoffs last year. Hopkinton, meanwhile, was coming off a 4-1 win over Dedham, a match in which Owen Gormley, Aarav Bholla, Chavdar Kamenerov, Mart LeCronem, Nico Nel, and Henry Lock all earned victories.
Even with the loss, Hopkinton has plenty to feel good about after its strong start. The Hillers have shown they can respond quickly after tough matches, and this setback gives them a chance to reset before another league test.
Hopkinton will try to bounce back against Norwood this Monday at 4:45 p.m. The Mustangs are 2-2 and should be considered a major underdog, which gives the Hillers a strong opportunity to get back in the win column if they bring the same focus they showed earlier in the season.
