The Girls Varsity Tennis team hit the road on Wednesday, April 16, to play Andover in what felt like the coldest tennis match on record. Playing with the freedom of the underdog, the team racked up almost three times as many games as the year before with every healthy member playing, but ultimately Big Red was shut out.  

Starting with doubles play, Fourth Formers Daisy Singer and Ariadna Rubiralta Kunze in the top spot started strong, their first game going right to deuce; they got on the board to finish 1-8. At #2, Sixth Formers Logan Bensadoun and Rhys Rountree walked off the court with three games. At #3, Third Formers Amelia Chun and Didi Machiels had a strong performance in their second outing together to finish 4-8.

In singles, Clara Tcherepnin '26 at #6 came close to splitting sets before finishing 1-6, 4-6 while co-captain Liz Harder '25 at #1 forced a match tiebreaker that blew away in the gale force winds; she finished 4-6, 6-4, 0-1. In the #3, #5 and #7 (exhibition) spots, Char Machiels '25, Emery Gay '26, and Lily Chibnik '28 all got on the board, Machiels and Chibnik each taking a game and Gay two.  

Co-captain Poppy Duggal '25 at #2 and Amelia Guest '25 at #4 were both closed down 0-6, 0-6. 

There are other ways to win, though. The SPS GVT played with heart and solid goals, which is one way to win. Another is to have a parent from the opposing team note their sportsmanship, camaraderie and positivity. Another is to leave the court with a new friend from the other team and the promise to play tennis together again someday. In all those ways, and more, it was a banner day for SPS despite the 0-9 loss to Andover.