Congratulations to this week’s Doors of the Week!
Girls Varsity Hockey: Sam Olander ‘23
Sam Olander is the girls’ hockey Door of the Week for her strong play and team first attitude in our games against St. Paul’s and Lawrenceville. Sam has been a steady presence in the D core since she arrived to campus. She brings her all to every game and battles hard for her teammates. This year her hockey IQ and defensive zone presence have continued to improve, and she’s emerged as a leader within the D unit. Sam has been an incredible teammate, helping to raise up her teammates and bring a positive attitude even when things aren’t going well for the team. This weekend Sam bolstered the team with her steady d zone presence. She kept the puck in the offensive end under a lot of pressure- which helped us to come back and tie against Lawrenceville, and took away key chances for St. Paul’s. We’re looking forward to Sam’s continued leadership both on and off ice in the remainder of the season!
Boys JV Squash: Nikhil Lebaka ’24
Nikhil has improved considerably since tryouts, which became clear in his recent win vs Taft. He was one of three players to win for us in a 7-3 loss. He has moved his serve to the side wall, focused on depth, and began playing more straight drops. Nikhil has also brought good energy and focus to practice. He progress and reliability have helped the team improve overall.
Boys Varsity Hockey: Lance Roberts ’25
BV Hockey Door of the Week is Lance Roberts. Lance had a great game against Salisbury, scoring a beautiful breakaway goal to give us a two-goal lead heading into the third period. His hard work and willingness to adapt his game makes him a pleasure to coach.
JV Swimming: Ella Hynds ’23 and Melody Zhao ’26
Ella has been an impressive leader this season. Whether it be through teaching our newest members team cheers or facilitating team dinners, she has helped create a supportive and playful team atmosphere. She is always ready to work hard but never forgets to have fun in the process. Ella had a great meet on Saturday vs. Suffield, swimming personal best times in both the 50 Backstroke and the 100 Free. We’re so excited to have her as a captain again this year.
One of the newest members of the JV swim team, Melody has shown impressive work ethic thus far this season. As a swimmer, she is eager to improve, and as a teammate she is kind and happy. At our meet against Suffield, she took home the only first place finish of the day in the 100 Breaststroke and was a key member of our 200 Medley relay that took second place. We are so excited to watch her grow this season and for years to come!
Girls Varsity Basketball: Nancy Ferguson ‘24
Girls Varsity Basketball’s Door of the Week is Nancy Ferguson ‘24. New to Deerfield this year, Nancy has made an immediate impact on the team. In our recent game against Worcester, Nancy’s three-pointers, reliable post moves, and aggressive defensive positioning contributed greatly to our team’s play. The coaching team and her teammates value Nancy’s team-first attitude, ability and willingness to play various positions, and high basketball IQ. It is always a pleasure to watch her command of the ball on the court, and we can’t wait to see her continued growth throughout the rest of this season.
Girls Thirds Squash: Chloe Acquavella ’25
Chloe Acquavella’s focus and enthusiasm in practice always set a strong example for those around her, and she has proven herself to be a real asset to the team on match day, winning in straight sets in both matches of the season.
Boys Varsity Squash: Read Kitchel ’26
Defeated Kent opponent in 5: 7, 7, (10), (12), 7. Go Read!
Boys JV Basketball: Theo Lewis ’24
Theo Lewis was fantastic in our 48-47 home win against NMH. He played excellent defense, rebounded effectively against taller players, and hit the game-winning three-pointer in the final minute of play. Theo’s effort is outstanding, both in practice and in games; we rely on him to lead our team on the court with his relentless competitive spirit.