Here we are at the end of the DVC season for girls’ tennis, as the conference tournament hits the courts at Metea Valley, featuring all six DVC schools. The Saturday portion shows all the final rounds, with athletes battling it out to emerge as conference champions. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Tang and Parranto battle it out on the top singles court
The top court is a true battle of valleys and rallies as Neuqua’s Jennifer Tang takes on Waubonsie Valley’s Lydia Parranto, with both players having phenomenal seasons. Here’s Tang with the serve and Parranto with a solid backhand for the return. Tang is too powerful, and the ball goes long for a Warriors point.
Neuqua Valley locks up the serve once again, and the Warrior sets up a high ball. Tang plays a fierce forehand for an aggressive shot, but Parranto forces the error and walks away victorious on the top court for singles play.
Jumping over to fourth doubles play, and it’s a showdown for third place between Waubonsie Valley Sahana Kuttalingam and Isha Thiru against North’s Maehek Sawant and Esther Forster. Waubonsie serves and North returns, but it’s great defense at the net from the green team of Kuttalingam and Thiru. It’s another Warriors serve and another great defensive play at the net for a perfect placement on the side of Thiru and Kuttalingam once again.
However, Forster and Sawant aren’t stopping the fight, and here’s Forster with a stellar power shot on the forehand swing, for a Husky point.
Now it’s Sawant with the serve, and Waubonsie sends it back to find Sawant ready for the rally. The Warriors send a high one, and Forster meets with a dominating defensive move for the point.
Now over to third place, it’s the third singles matchup between Waubonsie’s Myrna Jamal and Neuqua’s Neha Kumar. The Wildcat serves, and the rally begins, with forehands from Kumar and backhands from Jamal. Kumar sends it long, and Jamal has a strong return. There’s an opening for Kumar to send it short, but Jamal shows an amazing get to keep the ball alive! Kumar capitalizes on the shot and places it in no man’s land for a Wildcat point. A great battle between the rival schools, but Kumar walks away with a third-place victory.
Neuqua Valley locks up the victory once again
The last court to finish on the day is the second singles showdown between Central’s Rina Xu and North’s Mihika Gokhale! It’s a long battle, and neither side moves an inch.
Here’s Gokhale with the serve, and then the two immediately start trading strong forehands to the deep corners and the sidelines. Gokhale sends a backhand over the net , and Xu sends it back herself, to be met with a Huskie forehand to a Redhawk forehand. Corner shots from both sides, then backhand trades. Right back to a dueling forehand rally, leading to Gokhale pushing the ball to the short court, and Xu responds with a strategic placement to the short court as well. Gokhale keeps it alive, but Xu capitalizes and sends it deep for a point.
Still in the battle as the two keep sending back their swings. Though it’s Gokhale’s turn, as she targets a spot out of Xu’s range for the point. Gokhale continues to show her strength and gets a favor as Xu fails to send it back. Gokhale puts on a show to become the singles champion.
Overall, Neuqua Valley locks up the DVC Championship! The senior duo of Sophia Chiou and Kylie Tran finish their years of playing together with a victory on the top doubles court and a DVC win.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
