The Girls Tennis team finished up a busy weekend last week with important victories over both Groton and Deerfield, improving their record to an impressive 3-1 on the season. The squad began its week with a match against Groton last Friday, winning 9-6 with some superb singles play. Lauren Wilmarth ’09 at the number one spot got things rolling with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 win for the Big Blue, followed by Elena Jacobson ’08 who also pulled through in her singles match 6-0, 6-1. Arianna van Sluytman ’08 and Yurie Sekigami ’06 each won close matches under pressure to help Andover get the win. After winning the first set, Sekigami fell behind 2-5 but fought back strongly to win the match 6-4, 7-5. Van Sluytman then added the icing to the cake, playing smart and consistent tennis to beat her Groton opponent 7-5, 6-3. In the doubles matches, the one-two punch of Wilmarth and Jacobson was too much for Groton to handle, and they came away with the 8-6 victory. Despite close loses from the other two doubles teams, the girls were still able to pull out the victory. The next day, Andover took on Deerfield at home, and once again came through with a tough win. Winning by a close margin of 4-3, the Big Blue overtook Deerfield Academy with excellent team play, and proved to have the depth needed for a successful season and run at the tournament. With Maggie Maffione ’08 injured and unable to play, the varsity team pulled up three players from the “B” squad: Nicole Wagner ’09, Gina Kim ‘07, and Carolyn Brown ’09, all of which played very well at the Varsity level. Andover ended up claiming two of the four singles matches, with wins from both Wilmarth and Jacobson, who both remain undefeated on the season. In the doubles matches, Lucretia Witte ’06 and Captain Alyssa Hill ’06 rolled over their Deerfield opponents 6-2, 6-2. Yurie Sekigami ‘06 and Gina Kim ’09, with the overall team score tied at 3-3, played a critical final match. In a dramatic three set win, the two overcame their opponents and won the crucial match for Andover 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. The girls have now improved their overall record to 3-1, and are looking forward to a challenging week ahead, with matches against St. Paul’s, Choate, and another shot at the tough BB&N squad next Friday. Wilmarth, who has jumped to the top of the varsity latter as a junior, said, “I am very excited to be playing in the position that I am for the team. We are doing very well so far, and I think we will end up having a very successful season. Coach Grant is a fun and enthusiastic coach, and I am really enjoying my time with the team.”
