Girls Tennis Triumphs in Nail-Biting Comeback!
The Girls' Varsity Tennis Team secured their first win of the season with a 4-1 victory in their second Independent Girls' Conference (IGC) match. The games were held on home courts at Brook Apartments, where the team demonstrated incredible resilience and determination. With a 2-1 lead after the singles matches, the team needed just one win of the doubles pairs to claim victory. However, midway through their doubles games, both teams were trailing by 2 games, and a win seemed uncertain. In a dramatic comeback, both pairs turned the tide, with the 1st doubles match culminating in a thrilling tiebreaker.
1st Singles – Lyla Shin
2nd Singles – McKenna Zhang
3rd Singles – Emily Tran
1st Doubles – Crystal Liu & Coco Chen
2nd Doubles – Nia Fifield & Yuma Hatori
The match format followed an 8-game Pro-Set, with a 7-point tiebreaker at 7-7. Here’s how the matches unfolded:
1st Singles (Loss 3-8): Freshman Lyle Shin competed against a remarkable consistent defensive opponent, who played with machine-like resilience. Lyla began strong throwing powerful forehand canons at her rival, taking the early lead. But her opponent was unyielding and returned almost every ball. Lyla kept delivering hard-hitting balls but her opponents stamina proved too strong.
2nd Singles (Win 8-5): Co-captain McKenna Zhang shook the off-season cobwebs to deliver an impressive performance against a smart opponent. The match began with McKenna taking an early 2-0 lead, but her opponent adjusted, leveling the score at 2-2. In a tight back-and-forth contest, McKenna's perseverance and focus secured her the win.
3rd Singles (Win 8-0): Emily Tran made a strong return to singles, dominating with her deadly slice serve that earned her multiple aces. Varying her shots with precise placement kept her opponent on the defensive, delivering a commanding victory.
1st Doubles (Win 8-7, tiebreak 7-5): Crystal Liu and Coco Chen played in an epic battle against an evenly matched Gann opponents. The score swung back and forth, and trailed 3-5. Despite the tension, the players maintained a lighthearted atmosphere, laughing at moments of play. After tying 7-7, the duo clinched the match in a nerve-wracking tiebreaker. It was a fun game to watch as rambunctious cheering alternated from each team's team stands as they traded points.
2nd Doubles (Win 8-6): Nia Fifield and Yuma Hatori also gave us a nailbiter in their official debut match. They faced early jitters as their opponents quickly went to a 3-1 lead. Slowly regaining their composure, Yuma’s precision backhand slices and Nia’s aggressive net play orchestrated a determined comeback. Their methodical effort paid off in a hard-earned win.
Overall Score: 4-1: Although the score suggests a comfortable win, the matches were fiercely contested, with CSW needing to overcome significant challenges to secure the victory. This match was a testament to the team's mental toughness, proving that tennis is as much about heart and determination as it is about skill. A fantastic start to the season and an inspiring performance by the team!
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CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.