Varsity Girls Tennis Earns Gritty 5-4 Win
Deerfield’s varsity tennis girls traveled to Windsor, CT on Tuesday for a blustery match with Loomis-Chaffee. The sun was shining, but unpredictable winds added a complicating element to the proceedings.
Soon after the players spun their racquets, it was clear that this would be a competitive match-up. While new doubles pairing, Olivia Waterfall and Kiki Brainard, won a comfortable match (8-1) at third doubles, things were decidedly different on the other courts. Senior pair, Emma Weech and Evan Burkett, made adjustments throughout their set to find rhythm and opportunities for winners. After a closely contested first half, Deerfield’s second doubles team pulled away, winning 8-3.
On the first doubles courts, Isha Rao and Hunter Pulliam found themselves in a 1-4 hole. The team amended their approach and began to dominate the match with driving baseline play and aggressive volleys. Six straight games went for Deerfield. Credit goes to Loomis’s top doubles tandem for battling back to force a tiebreaker. Loomis ultimately took the tie break 7-3. This was the most competitive doubles match we’ve seen this season.
With the score leaning toward Deerfield at 2-1, the singles play began. Isha Rao’s first singles dominance rolled on with a decisive 8-1 victory. Evan Burkett hung in during a back and forth marathon of a match, but eventually opened up a lead to seal the win 8-4. Evan’s strong approach shots and overhead winners are a winning formula without question. Olivia Waterfall’s fourth singles match was a rollercoaster. She overcame some early setbacks and never gave up on her style of play. With her Loomis opponent pushing back at every turn, Olivia managed to close the match out with some booming forehand winners, clinching the win for Deerfield!
The team will have the opportunity to repeat this great afternoon of tennis on Saturday for the team’s final home match with Loomis making the trip north. Please come out and support the team and congratulate our graduating seniors, Emma, Evan, and Emily.
Individual Results:
Singles:
- Isha Rao, W 8-1
- Hunter Pulliam, L 4-8
- Emma Weech, L 4-8
- Olivia Waterfall, W 8-6
- Evan Burkett, W 8-4
- Emily Pajak, L 5-8
Order of finish: 1, 6, 3, 5, 2, 4
Doubles:
- Rao/ Pulliam, L 7-7 (3-7)
- Weech/ Burkett, W 8-3
- Waterfall/ Kiki Brainard, W 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles Exhibition Play:
Linnea Dreslin: W 8-2
Alex Kelsey: W 8-2
Emily Pajak: W 8-2