AUBURN — Alaina Dyer was hot, exhausted and running on fumes.

But nearly three hours after her No. 3 singles match began on the first day of 80-plus-degree heat of the season, Dyer was the last one standing in what turned into a match of attrition.

Dyer battled back to tie her third set at three with a three-deuce game, at four with a five-deuce game and at five with a six-deuce game against Boothbay’s Jessie Vander before winning the final two games of the set to earn a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win, pushing the Saints over the top in a 3-2 victory over the Seahawks in the Western Class C quarterfinal round.

“Being patient was the key to it,” Dyer said. “I just tried to get it back.”

Dyer’s day didn’t start so well as she lost the first set to Vander, 6-2.

“I just tried to push through,” Dyer said. “I just tried to step up another step from where I was playing, try to do better.”

“She got just drilled in the first set,” St. Dom’s coach Kevin Cullen said. “She came back, she fought. She got a little angry, a little disappointed in herself. I wanted her to play with a little more fire, and she did. She played outstanding the last two sets.”

But Dyer’s step maintained its spring. She turned things around with a relatively quick 6-3 win in the second set. Meanwhile, Boothbay’s doubles teams swept the Saints’ pairings in straight sets, meaning all three of St. Dom’s singles players had to win.

“All year, our doubles have been pretty strong,” Boothbay coach Alex Arsenault said. “Our first singles has been strong, but obviously their first singles is really strong.”

Callie Greco, playing on the court next to Dyer, earned the first team point with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Courtney Cheney. Kaitlyn Thompson, fresh off an appearance in the Round of 16 at the MPA singles’ tourney, darted past Shaylee Sibley at love to even the match, setting the stage for Dyer.

In the front end of the boy/girl doubleheader for the Saints, Zack Deblois dominated the first set and fought through a hiccup in the second against Winthrop’s Aaron St. Pierre to lift the Saints to a 3-2 match victory over the Ramblers. The win is the Saints’ first in the playoffs in at least six years.

“We’ve come in first and second, and just had bad luck with the draws,” Deblois said. “We’ve had Waynflete three times and NYA once, and they’re obviously the two best teams in this conference. It was tough.”

Deblois was in control from the first game, knowing the match rested on his racket.

“I’ve had a lot of experience at this from last year,” Deblois said. “I think we had six matches last year that came down to my match and I knew I had to win. Also, playing against our own players like Novak (Liu) and Austin (Christopher), that helped me, too.”

“It looked good for a little bit there, but Zack being as experienced as he is, he was able to settle in and get some winners,” Winthrop coach Alex Shehata said. “Aaron played his heart out in the second set. He knew the pressure was on to start the match, and this was our best opportunity to beat St. Dom’s of all three times we played them.”

Liu was absent for the Saints this week as the exchange student traveled to college enrollment commitments, and a doubles player broke an ankle two weeks ago, forcing St. Dom’s to alter its lineup lineup. Junior varsity players Wesley Haire and Cliff Greco stepped into those roles.

“I’m really impressed at how these guys stepped up to the challenge,” St. Dom’s singles player Austin Christopher said. “Cliff Greco and Wesley Haire, those guys, they had never played in a varsity match and we depended on them to come along and battle it out, so we’d have a chance to win.”

Christopher did his part, as well. At No. 2 singles, he took out a friend, Declan Chu, in straight sets and at love.

“I’m a backboard, but I have to place the shots,” Christopher said. “I might not have the power he has, so I can’t really blow it past him or down the line, but if I can place the shots and cut them to a certain angle, make him run, I can win the match.”

Chris Laverdiere and Jeff Alquist also won at No. 2 doubles for the Saints for the team’s second point, setting the table for Deblois.

“Our second doubles team was what we were counting on today, and they played really well,” Deblois said.

The Saints get little rest. The boys will host No. 4 Waynflete on Friday in the Western Class C semifinal round. The girls, the No. 4 seed, will also host after No. 9 NYA toppled No. 1 Hall-Dale on Thursday. That girls’ semifinal will be played Saturday.

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