Benet Academy and Naperville North serve up an exciting non-conference showdown on the tennis courts. Both teams put on a show where the Redwings eventually claimed victory 4-3.
Girls tennis is back in action after a week of extreme heat as area teams Naperville North and Benet Academy hit the courts at St. Scholastica. The Huskies are looking to bounce back after a narrow loss to Metea the day prior, while the Redwings hope to make it three straight wins over the blue and orange. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
The one singles matchup features Benet’s Kate Nagle and North’s Anda Elezi exchanging returns until Nagle gets a favor after Elezi can’t get it over the net. Both players show great effort to keep the rally going, and then Elezi pulls a sneak attack move by placing the return just out of Nagle’s reach for the point. Elezi remains on cruise control from there, winning her matchup via sweep 6-1 and 6-3.
Huskies sweep the singles matchups
Over to two singles, where Huskie Makaelynn Li faces Redwing Shalia Goel. Li puts on a show with a dominating performance full of strong returns, helping her to a clean sweep by scores of 6-0.
The spotlight turns to one doubles where Benet’s duo of Julia Kastelic and Lily Lopatka get into a rally against North’s Zannah Chien and Esther Forster. Lopatka uses great send-backs in front of the net, and the Huskies can’t capitalize, giving the point to Benet. (Kastelic and Lopatka waste no time)bringing out the brooms by scores of 6-1 and 6-2.
Two doubles time as Emma Eun and Neiva Bandyopadhyay get off to a good start in their match for Naperville North. Eun sends a return back aggressively for the point. Benet’s pair of Hannah Bobofchak and Anna Jones regroup and take control of the match, keeping up the pace in a rally until North’s return goes out of bounds. Bobofchak and Jones take control and do not let up, as the Redwings also pull out the brooms, winning 6-4 and 6-2.
Benet uses the doubles division to pick up the team win
It’s a good one at three doubles. North’s Catleyn Ziegler and Ramaya Ragupathi face Benet’s Isa Sorrentino and Carolina McEvoy. Ziegler will do it all herself, performing not one but two good sidearms, giving the duo an advantage. Ziegler and Ragupathi put the pressure on their opponents, forcing the Huskies to shift direction on their returns. The North gets that favor after the ball hits the net on the Benet side. Sorrentino and McEvoy stop messing around from there as another rally takes place but ends with Ragupathi mishandling her swing, giving the point to Benet.
After a tough two sets for McEvoy and Sorrentino, McEvoy gets the edge with a strong return one and Benet holds on in straight sets 7-6 and 6-4, which helps the Redwings earn the 4-3 team victory over the Huskies.
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