Texas A&M

Hi everyone!

Yesterday we played Texas A&M. The day started with a team breakfast at Nash's. Reka again unsurprised everyone by consuming three giant chocolate pancakes with syrup and butter, and what she called a soup bowl of hot chocolate! So our day was off to an auspicious start.

We were especially pumped becuase it was senior Jess's birthday yesterday. We love Jess and were excited to celebrate with her. As we always do, we spent quality time in the locker room before beginning practice. I sneaked in some knee rehab as I had arthroscopy and a lateral release about 10 days ago. It was also Family Day yesterday and we eagerly anticipated a large crowd. And you guys came :)! As did our favorite Blue Devil mascot. He pranced around, lifting our spirits even higher. So, the match began.

Melissa and Amanda, at No. 1 doubles, played great tennis to crush their opponents 8-3. Our No. 2 and No.3 doubles were a little more dicey. Jess and Mallory came back from from the dead to take the match 9-8, and 7-0 in the tiebreak. Reka and Ellah battled hard to win 8-6 and came up with some gutsy shots in tight situations. Duke = 1, Texam A&M = 0.

Watching from the stands, I was impressed by the way our team handled the singles. One by one, the Duke girls dismantled their opponents and didn't give them a chance. Melissa's mesmerizing forehand, Reka's revitalizing volleys (!!), Mallory's menacing backhand, Ellah's elegant footwork, Amanda's amazing second serve, and Jess's gentle hands (at the net) were all a treat to watch! We won 6-1!

This was a great win since Texas A&M is very good, and the girls still shutout their opponents in a focused, determined way. Helped by our fans... and our very own ubiquitous Crazy Towel Guy. When we returned to the locker room, tired but happy, we found two boxes of chocolate and buttercream cupcakes made by our assistant coach, Kelly. She had made them for Jess's birthday, but obviously we felt the need to help Jess out ;)! They were absolutely delicious. Thanks Kelly!

We hope that you enjoyed the match yesterday. Thank you all for coming, and for supporting us.

Cheers,
Tara