After a 90-minute drive, the girls’ tennis team faced a challenge of being ready to play against a good team with very little warmup.  Senior Olivia Marshall, recognizing the situation, gave her teammates a pep talk right before they took the court.

She told them that this match would require grit, and she reminded them that we define grit as having a high level of toughness that is not affected of circumstances.

The team responded in a big way.

In first sets of the five varsity matches, the Eagles won 30 games and gave up only 2.

Before the match was over, New Pal made some rallies to make scores closer, but Delta emerged with a 5-0 shutout victory to remain in control of the Hoosier Heritage Conference race.  Delta is now 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the league.

Sophie Crabtree won 6-0, 7-5 over New Pal’s Arabella Deisher at No. 1 singles.  The match featured many long hard-hitting rallies. Crabtree is now 7-3 for the reason.

Olivia Marshall improved to 9-1 at No. 2 singles with a 6-0, 7-5 victory.  The final game of the match was a 15-minute deuce game that Marshall eventually earned.

At No. 3 singles, Stella Sieber raced her way to a 6-0, 6-0 victory.  Stella improved to 8-2.

Kate Manor and Alexa Bratton raised their record to 9-1 with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles.

Rowan Hinds and Elizabeth Bamidele remained spotless with a 10-0 record after a 6-1, 6-3 victory.

New Pal earned a 9-6 victory in the JV match, although Delta won almost all of the top positions.

Earning the “Tater Award” for the players of the match were the top three JV singles players.  Paige Hayes, Maddy Cox and Bria Engle swept the singles.  Paige rallied from a 2-5 deficit to win 8-6.  Maddi cruised to an 8-2 victory.  Bria earned an 8-7 tiebreak win to stay unbeaten.

In doubles, Avery Gray and Mia Elliott won 8-4. Audrey Anderson/Ella Marcum and Maggie Ratts/Mylee Jones also won.

On Saturday, the Eagles will host the DHS Invitational, featuring five state-ranked teams.

Delta opens against Greenfield-Central at 8:45 a.m., while Lake Central plays Bishop Chatard.  These matches are at Delta

At the Yorktown site, Fort Wayne Carroll faces Burris and Hamilton Southeastern plays Kokomo.

Delta, Carroll, HSE, Lake Central and Chatard are all ranked among the state’s top 30 teams.

Complete Results

Varsity

DELTA 5, NEW PALESTINE 0

Singles

1. Sophie Crabtree (D) def. Arabella Deisher, 6-0, 7-5
2. Olivia Marshall (D) def. Riley Watts, 6-0, 7-5
3. Stella Sieber (D) def. Macy Thomas, 6-0, 6-0

Doubles

1. Kate Manor / Alexa Bratton (D) def. Alyssa Appleby / Elliott Graham, 6-1, 6-2
2. Elizabeth Bamidele / Rowan Hinds (D) def. Alyssa Beller / Addison Ballard, 6-1, 6-3

JV 

NEW PALESTINE 9, DELTA 6 

Singles

1. Paige Hayes won 8-5
2. Maddy Cox won 8-2
3. Bria Engle won 8-7

Doubles

1. Avery Gray / Mia Elliott won 8-4
2. Addy Anderson / Maddy Polito lost 7-8
3. Audrey Anderson / Ella Marcum won 8-4
4. Mylee Jones / Maggie Ratts won 8-2
5. Addisen Condie / Ryanne Bales lost 1-8
6. Ilicia Ritter / Karlie Obenski lost 2-8
7. Kinley Meekin / Zoey Parrott lost 3-8
8. Sammi Raleigh / Lucy Vance lost 4-8
9. Selah Plummer / Noelle Longsworth lost 7-8
10. Emma Lyons / Avery Ayres lost 6-8
11. Callie Stotler / Shayla Stine lost 1-8
12. Kailynn Whitted / Bria Engle lost 1-8