Deerfield’s varsity tennis girls got back in the winning column on Wednesday with a resounding victory over visiting St. Paul’s. The group delivered steady, savvy tennis across doubles and singles to secure the 6–3 win.
A shift in the lineup created new doubles pairings on every court. Chloe Schiff and Blake Coleman settled in quickly and erased an early deficit, using driving cross-court shots and sharp volleys to close out the top doubles match 8–5. Captain Arabella Navab made her season debut at third doubles alongside Grace Lodge. The pair used space and pace effectively, outmaneuvering their St. Paul’s opponents.
Singles brought decisive wins and several tightly contested matches. Chloe Schiff leaned on a powerful first serve and well-timed drop shots to take first singles. At two singles, Chloe Hernandez edged a tight first-set tiebreaker before grinding out a 6–4 second set. Travis Gerst remained composed and precise at third singles, earning a straight-set win. Blake Coleman battled through a three-set marathon; though St. Paul’s ultimately claimed the match, Blake forced the issue early, erasing a 2–5 deficit in the opening set. Grace Lodge added another dominant performance in her first start at the No. 5 singles position. Lucia Kinder impressed at six singles, showing confidence and grit in a three-set battle that featured both a second-set and third-set tiebreaker.
The team will be back in action on Saturday at Phillips Andover.
Individual Results:
Doubles:
Schiff/ Coleman: W, 8-5
Hernandez/ Gerst: L 5-8
Lodge/ Navab: W, 8-4
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
Chloe Schiff: W 6-3, 6-2
Chloe Hernandez: W 6-6 (8-6), 6-4
Travis Gerst: W 6-2, 6-2
Blake Coleman: L 7-5, 2-6, 7-10
Grace Lodge: W 6-0, 6-0
Lucia Kinder: 7-5, 6-6 (5-7), 8-10
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 1, 4, 2, 6