Naperville North girls tennis hits the road with a trip to face crosstown rival Naperville Central. The Redhawks are led by first year head coach Jaclyn Kwiatt and are hoping to pick up their first DVC win of the year. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Huskies show their strength in the singles division
Naperville North has been using top doubles players Brooke Coffman and Gabby Lee as singles players in conference matches this year. Coffman playing at one singles against Naperville Central sophomore Claire Cameron, who forces the error from the Huskie junior for the point.
Coffman is able to control this match basically from start to finish. Here the Huskie digs out a low return to finish off the straight set victory to start things off for the blue and orange.
Gabby Lee competing at two singles against Amy Yang from Central. In the opening set, Lee overpowers her opponent with a strong forehand as she charges the net.
Yang is hanging tough in the second set. A line drive return that skims over the net is too tough for Lee to send back as the point goes to the Redhawk.
Yang serves in the near court looking to stay alive, but Lee keeps her near the back line. Eventually Yang pulls a return too far wide to the left as Lee takes the two set victory 6-1, 6-1.
On to three singles where we see Hasini Peddu take on Anjali Shah from Naperville Central. Peddu serving on the far court as she puts some zip on these returns as she earns the point when Shah’s return hits the net.
Shah with the serve now and the Redhawk is the one keeping her opponent off balance as Peddu has a return find the net.
In the end, the Huskie is able to outlast her challenger as North sweeps all three singles matches. Peddu with a tough 7-5, 6-3 win in two sets.
The Redhawks make things interesting in doubles
After Naperville Central wins at two doubles behind Chaeli Ha and Sarah Paik, Luoxu Chen and Melody Xu hope to follow suit for the Redhawks against Sophia Xi and Dhareni Raveendran. Xi serving for the Huskies in the first set as volleys go back and forth. Xi puts a shot right near the back end line the Central is able to get back over, but Raveendran steps up and knocks the point home.
The Redhawks are not discouraged as they take the first set 7-5 thanks to strong returns like this one. The Huskies take the second set 6-4 to set up the ten point tiebreaker.
Xi serves once again and it’s Raveendran who shows the crafty touch at the net to just softly drop the ball just over the other side for the point. North takes the tiebreaker 10-7.
Over to number one doubles where Aaryana and Aanika Parekh who are gelling as a doubles team after years of singles play square off with veteran duo Ami Patel and Kira Yang.
Kira Yang has her serve on point in this one as she kisses the line for the ace as the ball slices down the middle. Redhawks take a 4-1 lead in the opening set.
The Huskies battle back with Aaryana serving in the far court. Aanika with some strong returns at the net as she powers the point home as North now trails just 5-4.
Central is able to escape set one 6-4 and in the second set the pair pulls away. Patel with the serve and Yang with some quick reactions in the front to earn the point. Naperville Central takes one doubles 6-4, 6-3, but Naperville North girls tennis wins as a team by the score of 5-2.
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