Deerfield started the year off right with a 5-2 win against an excellent Taft squad, despite missing two of its usual top three players on Saturday! In the evens, up at #2, senior co-captain Isabella Geraci had the longest and perhaps most thrilling match of the day. She won 11-6 in the first game, then dropped the next two in a pair of 11-9 losses. In the fourth game, Geraci tied things up with an 11-6 win, then kept things extremely interesting throughout the fifth and final contest, ultimately triumphing 11-9 in an exhausting contest that demanded her best and smartest squash and most intense athleticism! #4 and senior co-captain Olivia Geraci had quite the fight as well, working for her 3-1 win over her opponent. At #6, sophomore Janis Chen was in top form on her way to a 3-1 win over a strong Taft player.
For the odds, ninth-grader Daly Baker ground out three victories, 11-1, 11-9, 11-4 at #1 for a nice 3-0 win for Deerfield. Senior Victoria Waterfall had quite the match at #3: in front of an extremely supportive group of fans, she won 11-9, 11-0, 11-8 for another 3-0 Deerfield victory. Senior Cameron Garner had a bit more of a struggle at #5, but still put together some respectable games despite an ultimate loss. The story was the same for sophomore Emma Johnson at #7, where her Taft opponent ended up the victor despite Johnson’s best efforts. In exhibition, Taft showed its depth and junior Helen Mak could not quite pull off the win.
Despite some bumpy games, the team was delighted to add another victory to its run and keep its perfect streak going in 2019. Many contests remain in the lengthy season, and the team is excited to continue testing its mettle against new opponents, beginning with Westminster away on Saturday!