After a week of gorgeous weather and anticipation, Deerfield’s varsity girls were back on the courts Saturday in Windsor, CT. The final result is illustrative of the competitive nature of the match. Thanks to depth on the lineup and smart tennis, our squad came out on top. Doubles was hotly contested on the number one court. Ashley and Tori were out of sync as the day began and found themselves behind 5-2. As has become their modus operandi, the pair settled in, battled back, and took the point for Deerfield. Sophia and Emma were dominant at second doubles, splitting their opponents again and again to secure a decisive win. At third doubles, Lisa and Catalina could not find their rhythm. Fighting to the last point, the girls ultimately lost 4-8. The courts were smoldering on Saturday relative to the glacial temperatures we’ve felt to this point in the season. Smart, efficient tennis was going to win the day in these conditions. The thermometer was pushing 80 degrees by the time singles competitions got underway. First and second singles were both three-set affairs. Tori Waterfall lost her third set by a tiny margin and has every reason to be pleased with her debut at the first singles spot. Ashley Manning fought off fast first serves and steady ground strokes to close out the win with a comfortable third set victory. At three singles, Sophia Genender’s forehand and big serve were too much for her opponent; she won in two decisive sets. The story was similar for Emma at fourth singles. Consistent strokes and strategic point setup had her match in the books before any others had concluded. Adeliza won a marathon of a match in two close sets at fifth singles. Alya fought hard at sixth singles but fell to her Loomis opponent in three sets. A highlight of this match was when Alya was down in the first set 3-5, only to fight back and win it 7-5. The team is back on the courts Monday at home with Northfield Mount Hermon visiting. The final week of the regular season is a busy one; the team hopes to add three more wins to its 5-3 record.
Results:
Doubles:
Waterfall/ Manning: W 8-5
Genender/ Weech: W 8-2
Chen/ Llorente: L 4-8
Singles:
Waterfall: L 5-7, 6-4, 8-10
Manning: W 4-6, 6-2, 10-4
Genender: W 6-1, 6-2
Weech: W 6-2, 6-3
Grace: W 6-4, 6-4
Abd Aziz: L 7-5, 2-6, 6-10