Tuxedo Park Prevails

11/20/2015

In our last match of the season, the DE tennis team played Tuxedo Park. It was a spectacular fall day -- unseasonably warm at over 70 degrees! In this last match, we celebrated our eighth graders. Many of these girls have been on the team for three consecutive years.

Tuxedo Park brought a strong line-up composed of 9 boys and 1 girl. Our team was not daunted by this challenge. That was especially the case for eighth grader India who was matched up against a strong first singles opponent with a massive serve. Even though she lost 8-0, she explained she’d rather have a good match and lose then play a weak opponent and win easily. We love that go-get-’em attitude!

At second singles, Jackie fought hard against another excellent player. While she lost 8-4, she worked her way back into the match repeatedly. In these comebacks, we saw great determination and focus.

At third singles, Sloan’s opponent was equally comfortable at the baseline. They had many long rallies, and both players focused on moving each other around the court. While Sloan lost 8-2, the match felt a lot closer. Many games went to deuce repeatedly.

At first doubles, Abby and Arianna (seventh grade) teamed up in their first doubles match together. They lost 8-3, but they also challenged their opponents throughout the match. They never gave up, which is equally important!

At second doubles, Helen and Maggie were successful in winning a match for the team. Their 8-5 victory was the result of steady play and focus. We were glad to get one win in our starting 5 matches!

All of these 8th graders (including Grace, who was out due to injury) have been a wonderful asset to our team this year. We were fortunate to have such a solid group of girls at the helm of our team. They lead by example, included new players, encouraged their teammates, and always made sure we had a lot of fun too. They will be missed next year!

We had success in the exhibition matches as well. Anna and Ellie won their doubles match, as did Alexa. The seventh graders on the team are eager to step up into the leadership role next year.

Back