4/6 Andover: 5 Nobles: 4
4/10 Andover: 9 Austin Prep: 0
The reigning Class A NEPSAC champions, Girls Tennis beat both Nobles and Greenough (Nobles) and Austin Preparatory School (Austin Prep) this week. With one loss under its belt going into Saturday, the team won in a hard-fought match against Nobles at home on Saturday. On Wednesday, it swept Austin Prep in all doubles and singles matches.
The match against Nobles was close, with the team securing the win by a singular match. Mercan Draman ’26 highlighted the high spirit, energy, and support teammates provided for each other throughout the match.
“We did really well. Two of our doubles won and it was really fun to watch. It was really high energy and the team was cheering each other on. Our singles also did really well and we ended up winning on Saturday,” Draman said.
Evelyn Kung ’26 commended teammate Kendra Tomala ’26 on her impressive performance. Kung shared that it was a close match that came down to the wire, with the entire team filled with emotion and energy as the two teams fought for the win.
“During the Nobles match, I thought my phenomenally amazing and fantastic teammate, Kendra Tomala, had a wonderful match. Her match was superb. It was nail-biting. I was standing there, and I was about to start crying, cheering, and screaming. She was amazing, and I thought that she was the MVP,” said Kung.
Draman shared the importance of the win against Nobles. She noted that this would be one of the three toughest matches of the season so the win was an early test of the team’s strength.
“I know that our Nobles team was very strong. Our coach [Deb Chase] said that this was one of the top three teams that we would face this year. I don’t know the other teams, but it was a really good win for us,” said Draman.
The team competed against Austin Prep on Wednesday, winning all nine matches. According to Kung, despite Austin Prep’s different play style, the team was able to make adjustments early and dominate the rest of the match.
Kung said, “We played really well against Austin Prep. They were a weaker team… It was a little bit hard to adjust because they have a different play style. So, we were all a little bit tense at first, but then, after we loosened up, [we] played a lot better.”
Looking forward, Girls Tennis looks to focus on strategy in each of their matches. Draman shared that Chase ensures that each person gets individualized advice that most suits their playing style.
“We always talk strategy. One thing our Coach always says [is], ‘It depends on each player.’ Our Coach is very attentive and knows what each person needs. For example, I need to hit more confidently and consistently, but each person is different.” said Draman.
Girls Tennis will play Winsor on Saturday and St. Pauls on Wednesday.
