The wind was whipping in this matchup between the Metea Valley Mustangs and the Naperville North Huskies. Coming into today, both teams are riding on winning streaks and looking for their second DVC conference win. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
North starts two singles on fire
In the two singles matchup, it’s Huskie Yanson Lew going up against Metea’s Dhanush Chittaluri. In the first set, Lew serves with Chittaluri answering back, but Lew runs out of space with the backhand. Later in the set, both players go back and forth until Chittaluri saves the rally before popping up the return out of play. Now to the second set, where the pace of play remains back and forth. Lew sends an easy lob over that catches Chittaluri off. Lew then sends a light smash shot towards the other side for a point. In the end, it’s Lew getting the two-set win by scores of 6-1 and 6-1.
Huskies continue winning in one singles
Up next is the one singles battle between Carter Donnelly of Metea Valley against Ritvik Korapatti of Naperville North. Donnelly starts the serving, and the two send returns over successfully until a forehanded hit misses the back line. Donnelly jumps out for the lead early. Later on, it’s a tight contest until Korapatti arcs a high shot left, forcing Donnelly to lob the ball in front. On the return, Korapatti goes right side but narrowly misses the boundary line. In the second set, Korapatti gets on the board by firing a line drive towards the right side of the court for a point. Korapatti gets the one singles matchup victory in straight sets, winning set one 6-0 and set two 6-3.
Metea clutches up in two doubles
Two doubles features North’s Kush Shah and Josh Eun against Metea’s Kaushik Nanduru and Henry Oyekami. Starting the set, Oyekami flashes a jumping backhander that narrowly misses over the net, putting North ahead. Later in the set, North carries its momentum with Eun smashing home the point towards the back of the court. The Mustangs get out ahead to win set one thanks to a high putback from Nanduru in front of the net. In set two, Metea gets ahead once again when Oyekami receives a high-bouncing ball and returns it to the left side before the Huskies can get to the ball. By the end of set two, the Mustangs close out two doubles in straight set fashion by scores of 6-4 in set one and 6-2 in set two.
Mustangs ride one doubles matchup for the win
In the one doubles matchup, Huskies Noah Eun and Aayush Puntambekar take on Mustangs Ameya Tyagi and Rish Railkar. Eun starts the serving duties as both squads go back and forth before Tyagi returns the ball out of play. North takes an early set one lead. To close the first set, Railkar’s return gets over for the winning point. Eun can’t get the ball over, and Metea takes set one. In set two, the volleying gets back on track until Railkar leaps for the smash shot for the point. The Huskies try to get another point, but the Mustangs come out on top of the one doubles matchup with scores of 6-3 and 6-3. Despite North’s sweep of all three singles matches, Metea Valley swept all four doubles matchups to win by a team score of 4-3.
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