Resuming competition after their mid-term break, Girls Varsity Tennis hosted Deerfield Academy for its second-ever meeting on a sunny, breezy Wednesday, April 30. 

Co-captain Poppy Duggal '25 at #2 singles popped a string warming up, tried out a couple substitutes and came back from three games down to win her first set 6-3 before sealing the deal with a 7-5 second set.

Char Machiel '25 at #3 stayed in the match but saw an early lead evaporate that led to a 4-6, 4-6 finish. 

Emery Gay '26 played up a spot in a starter's absence and nearly pulled off the win, fighting to a first set tiebreaker that slipped away, then battling in the second set before succumbing 5-7 in a tough, close match. 

Clara Tcherepnin '26 also stepped up to play #5 and finished 2-6, 4-6. 

In her first real varsity singles test, Lily Chibnik '28 at #6 came as close as one can, coming back from an educational first set that went 1-6 to finish the second 6-3 before just missing in the tiebreaker, which didn't go her way (5-7).

Another tough match tiebreaker for #1 Liz Harder (0-6, 6-3, 3-7) gave the day to Deerfield, but SPS wasn't done yet. 

While the Sixth Form doubles duo of Logan Bensadoun and Rhys Rountree got on the board in the #2 position to finish 1-8, Harder and Duggal teamed up in the top spot for a decisive 8-4 win. In the #3 spot, the new pairing of Machiel and Gay prevailed 8-6. 

With a final match score of 3-6, the story behind the numbers is the story of tennis itself — every point matters, and an excruciatingly few points played differently would have led to another outcome altogether.