Niwot girls tennis takes on league rivals

The Niwot High School tennis team recently faced Monarch High School, Boulder High School, and Broomfield High School in a series of competitive matches, achieving mixed results across the board.

On April 7, Niwot traveled to Monarch High School for a match against the Coyotes. Niwot emerged victorious with a 5-2 scoreline.

In No. 1 singles, senior Ishani Pandry delivered a dominant performance, winning 6-0, 6-0. Senior McKenzie Bergeson followed in No. 2 singles with a 6-0, 6-4 victory. Senior Masha Oshmyan secured a commanding 6-1, 6-0 win in No. 3 singles. In No. 1 doubles, seniors Anne Haley and Samantha Zacky won decisively, 6-0, 6-1.

The team also claimed wins in No. 2 doubles with junior Jordan Rutkowski and senior Hannah Nelson (6-3, 7-5), No. 3 doubles with junior Eliana Spiridellis and sophomore Emory Rich (6-1, 6-0), and No. 4 doubles with sophomores Amy Calderon and Nina Richards (7-6, 7-5).

On April 8, Niwot faced Boulder at Boulder High School, but the results were less favorable for the Cougars as Niwot lost the match 5-2.

Despite the defeat, there were notable performances. Oshmyan once again delivered an impressive performance in No. 3 singles, though she fell 3-6, 1-6. In No. 1 doubles, Haley and Zacky picked up a hard-fought three-set win, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Additionally, Calderon and Richards competed strongly in No. 4 doubles but lost 1-6, 2-6. The team fought hard but ultimately could not overcome Boulder's depth in other positions.

On April 10, Niwot hosted Broomfield at Niwot High School in another strong performance. Niwot won the match 5-2, with key victories in both singles and doubles.

In No. 1 singles, Sahasra Kolli won convincingly, 6-1, 6-0. In doubles action, Haley and Zacky once again led the charge in No. 1 doubles with a 6-0, 6-0 win. Nelson and Rutkowski followed with a 6-1, 6-1 win in No. 2 doubles. Spiridellis and Rich secured a tight 7-6, 7-5 win in No. 3 doubles. Calderon and Richards wrapped up the doubles sweep with a 6-1, 6-0 win in No. 4 doubles.

Following these team competitions, the Cougars participated in the Cherry Creek/Denver East Invitational on April 11, where they faced off against some of the top teams in the area. Niwot finished in sixth place out of 11 teams-a strong result, especially as the only 4A school in a field of 5A programs. One memorable match from the invitational saw Haley Nemechek and Zacky Yao defeated their Round 3 opponents 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 doubles, a clear highlight of the day.

"Our team is peaking at the right time, which is what you want," said Head Coach Aimee Hites. "We started off slow, with a tough match with Denver, the defending state champs. Our one singles will hopefully be back soon, recovering from injuries. We are building good momentum for the season and had a strong week this week, being the only 4A team at invitationals and still placing well in the roster."

The Cougars' results across all lines underscored their competitiveness and depth. At No. 2 doubles, Ella Burgess and Julia Hunt picked up a win in Round 2 (6-4, 6-3), finishing the day 1-2. At No. 3 doubles, Elsa Meilinger and Greta Roth started strong with a 6-3, 6-2 win before finishing 1-2 overall. At No. 4 doubles, Kaylin Pham and Hunt also notched a Round 2 victory, 6-3, 6-4, on their way to a 1-2 record.

In singles play, Hazel Awsumb battled through four tough rounds at No. 2 singles and came away with a third-round win (6-2, 6-4). While Kolli at No. 1 singles and Maggie Valentine at No. 3 singles went winless on the day, both gained valuable experience competing against elite-level competition-an asset that will serve them well as the Cougars head into the back half of the season.

Up next, Niwot will travel to Colorado Springs for a tri-match against Cheyenne Mountain and D'Evelyn on Friday, April 19. Matches are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at Cheyenne Mountain High School.