Neuqua Valley tennis shuts down the competition from the Naperville North hardcourts for this DVC showdown. Both teams are eager to fight for victory and in need of some late-season momentum. Today’s matchup between the Huskies and Wildcats features exhibition play on the end courts, but let’s start things off with the top singles court. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Tang and Elezi battle on the top singles court
Neuqua Valley’s Jennifer Tang is pitted against Naperville North’s Anda Elezi for top singles, and here’s Elezi with the serve and Tang with a strong forehand return. But Elezi sends it short, and though Tang keeps it alive, Elezi’s next shot is even more shallow to end the rally. Point to Naperville North.
Elezi serves, and Tang kicks off the back-and-forth with a backhand return. Elezi tries for great drop shots to catch Tang off guard, but Tang aggressively responds by keeping the rally going. Elezi goes the backhand before switching to a forehand shot to the shallow court. Tang gets aggressive but sends it over with too much power. It’s out of play, and the point goes to Elezi.
Now Tang captures some momentum off of Elezi’s serve with a powerful backhand. She sends it up, and Elezi’s return bounces off the net, but Tang is ready. She rushes in and ends the rally with a decisive shot to the end line. Point Neuqua Valley. Now Tang has the serve, and Elezi sends it high. Tang once again takes advantage of the high ball for a killer shot to the side line, to lock in the point. It’s play like that that secures Tang’s victory for Neuqua Valley on the top singles court in two sets.
Jumping over to second singles, where Neuqua’s Fatima Faruqi faces North’s Mihika Gokhale. Faruqi with the serve, and Gokhale starts the rally, but Faruqi gets aggressive right away. She swings a killer backhand to send the ball short for perfect placement to earn the point.
Faruqi serves again later on, and the rally begins. This time, the Wildcat puts the backspin on the ball with a stellar forehand, and this seals the deal on another point for Faruqi with a great shot.
Gohkale is on the return now, and this time she’s ready for Faruqi’s short court backhand. The Huskie hustles to keep the ball alive, and it pays off for a North point.
Gohkale starts the rally once again, and she catches a backspin shot with a great forehand swing. The ball goes high, and Gohkale responds with an aggressive shot! Another high ball for another big shot, and then number three comes to the net and Gohkale sends it over with stellar placement that’s too much for Faruqi. Gohkale secures the point and goes on to claim victory on the second singles court in two sets, putting Naperville North on the board.
The top doubles court sees Naperville North’s Makaelynn Woller-Li and Zannah Chien playing against Neuqua Valley’s longtime duo of Sophia Chiou and Kylie Tran. To start things off, here’s Chien serving to Chiou. Chien sends a high ball to the deep corner, and Chiou sends a high ball right back. Woller-Li sees an opening for a big swing and takes it, for an absolute power shot down the middle to end the rally for the North point.
Chien serving Chiou again, and Chien gets a low forehand swing for a high arc shot that can’t be stopped by the Wildcats, and it’s point Huskies.
Huskies serve, and Tran starts the back and forth. Chien sends a high ball over and Tran responds with an aggressive backhand. Chien swings strong, but Chiou’s defense at the net is ready! Woller-Li keeps it alive for another swing from Chien, but Chiou reaches for a big slamdown to the deep corner, and a Wildcat point.
Neuqua Valley girls’ tennis shuts down Naperville North and takes doubles victories
Now Woller-Li has the serve and Chiou returns, to start a battle between Woller-Li and Chiou for the endline shots. Chiou’s high ball is met with an aggressive swing from Chien, but Chiou hustles to keep the rally going with a backhand. The spin on the ball forces the error, for a Neuqua Valley point. The long battle on the top doubles court finishes with a Neuqua Valley victory in two sets.
The second doubles court is the last to finish on the day. It’s a showdown between Emma Mathew and Mehar Kaur playing for Neuqua Valley against Mariam Ahmed and Varsha Pamulapati playing for Naperville North. Ahmed serves it to Mathew, and when the high ball comes over the net, Pamulapati slams it down for a big point and Naperville North momentum.
Kaur is serving now, and Ahmed sends it back. But Matthew is ready! Her steadfast defense at the net locks in a Neuqua Valley point. Neuqua Valley tennis shuts down Naperville North for the overall victory on the second doubles court in a hard-fought two sets. That momentum on the courts carried Neuqua Valley to victory, as they shut down Naperville North with a 5-2 win against the Huskies.
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