Deerfield traveled to Andover, Massachusetts, on Saturday for a tough but instructive school match against Phillips Academy. Often facing more experienced players who succeeded in controlling the court, several DA players lost in three games. But some losses mask heroic performances, such as the great placement and power of sophomore Lauren Stenger, who pushed her epic second game to six tie-breakers. Her sister, Kate, withstood her opponent’s tough serve to get into tenacious rallies and lost the fifth game narrowly in extra points. Ninth-grader Valentina Williamson also forced five games and might have taken the match but for a number of stroke calls that went against her. The most dramatic match of the day was the last, the number-four contest that first-year Liv Waterfall began inauspiciously by dropping the first game 2-11 and starting the second 2-7. Suddenly, she came to life: her shots got deeper, her footwork quickened, and her confidence started to build, as she went on a 9-1 run to take the set and then win the next game easily. Unfortunately, her opponent began to feel unwell and couldn’t finish the match. But Liv and the rest of the team looks forward to building on today’s lessons as they prepare for their first home match of the season, next Saturday against Taft.
Results:
- Marnie Todd: L 6-11, 1-11, 6-11
- Kaitlyn Kelly: L 5-11, 0-11, 4-11
- Valentina Williamson: L 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 8-11, 4-11
- Olivia Waterfall: W 2-11, 11-8, 11-4 (forfeit)
- Lauren Stenger: L 4-11, 15-17, 9-11
- Grace Honos: L 2-11, 3-11, 2-11
- Kate Stenger: L 11-4, 9-11, 3-11, 11-8, 10-12
- Annalisa Fang: L 11-6, 6-11, 4-11, 5-11 (exhibition)