Derryfield girls look to make third try the charm

MANCHESTER, NH – With an 8-1 over fourth-seeded Exeter High School Tuesday, the top-ranked Derryfield School girls tennis team has now advanced to the state championship for the third straight season.

Unlike the last two years, when the Cougars twice conceded the state title to Dover, this year’s crew has the talent and mentality to capture the crown, said longtime head coach, Gustavo Moral.

“The girls keep the pressure on one another, so when we have a practice, they really want to do well and perform well when they’re playing one another, so they’re definitely a really solid team,” said Moral. “They have that spice and they have that little attitude that I think is important if you want to go all the way.”

Sophia Correnti, Derryfield’s No. 1, led the effort against Exeter with an 8-0 shutout of Katie Rocha, while No. 2 Sofia Koshy edged Ava Lacobucci, 9-7 and No. 3, Annabell Crotty, defeated Channie Ellis, 8-3.

Charlotte Smith earned an 8-5 win over Lydia Goldrick on the fourth singles court, Pola Jankowska trumped Katie Turner on the fifth court and Sarina Punjabi soundly defeated Cate Phelps, 8-1, on the sixth court.

With the team victory secure heading into doubles play, Correnti and Punjabi combined for an 8-3 win on the top court, Jankowska And Lucy Yakola were edged, 8-9 (6-8) and Crotty and Meredith MacWilliam teamed for an 8-4 win.

It’s the depth of the Cougars, from the top of the ladder down to the eighth rung, that has separated them from the pack, said Moral.

Derryfield now advances to the Division-I state championship, scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday at Southern New Hampshire University’s tennis courts. They’ll play second-ranked Bedford, 5-4 victors over two-time defending champ Dover on Tuesday.