The DVC girl’s tennis season continues with this Crosstown Classic matchup as the Naperville Central Redhawks face Brooke Coffman and the Naperville North Huskies. The Redhawks won their DVC conference opener against Neuqua Valley. The Huskies are also off to a good start in conference play and have a 6-1 overall record this season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Naperville North’s Anda Elezi squeezes past Central’s Grace Kistler in Two Singles
Naperville Central’s Grace Kistler will go up against Naperville North’s Anda Elezi in two singles.
The two play back-and-forth in the first set as both players look to get off to a great start. Kistler taps this over the net, and Elezi can’t get to it. Kistler secures the point.
Elezi puts on a show in this rally late in the first set. She buries her shot to take the first set for the Huskies, 6-3.
Elezi prepares to serve in the second set as the ball goes over the net. Kistler goes backhand, but her shot goes out of play, and Elezi wins the second set 6-1.
The Huskie top doubles pairs put on a stellar performance
Now we go to number one doubles as Naperville North’s Gabby Lee and Aanika Parek take on Naperville Central’s Claire Converse and Amy Yang.
Lee starts us off as Converse sends it back. Lee lobs this shot over Yang as the Huskies take both sets in this one 6-0.
The two doubles are up next, as Redhawks Shama Skanthakumar and Chaeli Ha face Huskies Dhareni Raveendran and Sophia Xi.
Skanthakumar gets some power on this shot across the net, and Xi sends it back as the two go at it. Even though the Redhawks take a point here, the Huskies duo takes the first set 6-3.
Xi is up to serve for North and goes back and forth with the Redhawks before Raveendran smashes the ball home for the point. The Huskies duo edges past Central 6-4, and the team score is tied at three.
Brooke Coffman wins tiebreaking set to seal the win for Naperville North
Now, on to the final decisive matchup of the day in the one singles as three-time DVC Champion Sophia Olaru for the Redhawks faces off against former state runner-up doubles player Brooke Coffman for the Huskies.
It’s a battle between these two as Coffman charges up to the net early on and they exchange hits. Olaru goes backhand and sneaks it past Coffman.
Olaru sends this over the net, and Coffman puts some top spin on the ball as Olaru cannot hit it over, and Coffman wins the first set 6-2.
It’s been a very tight battle between these two as Coffman prepares to serve in the second set. She sends in a firey serve, but Olaru returns it well. Coffman gets to it, but Olaru goes backhand again, as we are tied 6-6 and head to a tiebreaking set.
Coffman and Olaru engage in a long volley as both look for the final push to bring their team closer to victory. This time with the forehand, Olaru does just enough to stay alive, as this shot scores her a crucial point.
There were several lengthy volleys in this tiebreaking set, but Coffman has a 6-5 lead and must win by two for the win. After a long battle, Coffman charges up front, hammering a volley and forcing Olaru to hit the ball out of bounds. Coffman wins the second 7-5 and helps the Huskies edge past the Redhawks by a team score of 4-3.
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