Metea Valley welcoming the Naperville North Badminton team into their gym. The huskies are without top players Bhaavya Manikonda and Taylor Zhou so their line up a little jumbled.
#3 Doubles
We start first at #3 doubles with metea’s Brianne Molenda and Vigna Gajarla against Grace Liu and Bhavika Kagathi.
First game action, North’s Grace Liu slams one down the line for the point and the early lead.
Little later in the first game, Grace, raquet at the ready again, up at the net gets the cross court point, huskies still in the lead.
Huskies looking to close out the first game and Bhavika does just that with the shot down the line.
On to game two, Metea’s Brienne Molenda gets the quick reaction point in the corner to keep their hopes alive.
But the north dou was too much as Liu powers another one home for the straight victory 21-11, 21-9.
#1 Doubles
We now move to 1 doubles with Metea’s Nitya Nagarajan and Sophia Wang against Stephanie Liang and Kasey Han.
First game action and it’s moving quick. Both teams moving on their toes until Liang winds up and slams one down the line for the early point.
But Metea would come roaring back. Sophia Wang approaches the net for the put down for Metea to take the lead.
And they would hold on to it for the game 1 win after an error from North, 21-15.
On to game two, and Liang works the back hand for the point.
But the new duo wouldn’t be able to handle the Mustangs chemistry. Nagarajan gets the drop shot to land for the game 2 win 21-17.
#1 Singles
We stick with two of these plays as we move to #1 singles with Nagarajan and Liang. First game and Nagarajan moving all over the court and eventually gets up at the net for the attack.
Nagarajan placing all the right shots in the first game, she crosses the drop shot just over the net to take the first game 21-15.
Game two and now it’s Liang who is making Nagarajan work. She tries to get the short shot but doesn’t get there for the huskie point.
Little later in the second game and Nagarajan gets up at the net again for the put down.
These two are pretty evenly matched today, as Stephanie is taking the place for Manikonda… a very long rally with both girls moving all over the court, it ends with Stephanie getting the put down for the power kill, winning the second game 21-17.
It’s a barn burner in the third game. Nitya gains the lead early with a dive bomber that Liang can’t get to.
And she will end it pretty quick off the serve with the shot down the line, 21-16.
#2 Singles
Final single match for us is #2s with Mustang Sophia Wang against North’s Kasey Han. Another back and fourth battle until Wang places the corner shot.
But off the serve, Han has her racquet just right from the drop and the point.
The first game would come to and end with Wang being victorious with a shot to the back line just past Han. 21-13.
Second game action and it’s Han’s turn to get one just past Wang on the end line for the early point.
Sophia making Han move her feet a little later on… she in the back until she has to move up but Wang gets the point just over the net.
Another long rally on game 2 final point. The bird is flying high… until it isn’t after Han hits one into the net for Wang to take the second 21-15 helping the Mustangs to a big victory 10-5.
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