Hopkins Bests Choate's Freshmen

Hopkins hosted Choate's freshman team Wednesday and won 4-3. The success of the match continued into the exhibition matches, where Hopkins won 2-1.

To level the field before the match began, Hopkins pulled its top two players. This adjustment allowed not only a tighter match, but also a deeper ladder, for this configuration allowed many JV players to squeeze in one more match for the season; their successes showed the team's depth and may bode well for the fast-arriving 2011-12 season.

The first-round showed just how tight the day would be, with Susana Wilson-Hawkens playing Kelly Zhang for the eights. Zhang shellacked Wilson-Hawkens 11-2 in game one, but Wilson-Hawkins girded herself and took games two and three in 10 and 13 by hitting deeply and playing wisely; game four and the day went her way in four. Choate's Emma Zehner replied with a three-game win over Tiffany Chen. Chen attacked the ball but had trouble retrieving on the backhand side. Fortunately, Chen's buddy and teammate Hannah Elbaum used four games to dispatch Trisha Arora by hanging tight and hitting hard, getting the ball over the Choate player. Also going four, Kate Bradley battled Geena Choo, who succumbed to Bradley's persistent drives punctuated with short balls. On her lucky court four, Lexi Harrison, clutch winner against K-O, faced Audra Devoto. Harrison's deep drives and wise game extended the points and kept the scores tight, but unforced errors and Devoto's athleticism won the match. Down on court one, Kristin Manley had some dramatic points with Eva Rewinski, but the Choate player was too smooth and wily, getting to every lose ball, while Manley's momentum was frequently halted. The match see-sawing, the remaining matches became critical for each team. Ariela Martin reversed the karma of court one, triumphing over Zoe Gibson in three games of deep, thoughtful drives and crosses. Needing just one more win to clinch, Hopkins looked to Amy Wang to beat Lizzie Jaekle, and that she did, shooting purposefully and overwhelming the Choate backhand.

The main draw plus the eights completed, the exhibitions at nine and ten featured Mariel Schlomchik and Caroline Armstrong respectively playing the ever-game Zhang and Devoto. The Choate girls played fine squash and found their earlier fortunes reversed. Schlomchik took game one and battled through game four but lost to nervousness and Zhang's drives. Armstrong grabbed a 12-10 win of game one and never looked back, winning 5 & 7 by attacking loose balls and driving persistently.

Winning is great, and the day suggested Hopkins' improvement. These good things should not mask the team's need, however, to play great, simple squash, hitting the ball deep and by the opponent as the team hones its racquets for New Englands this Saturday at Pomfret.