On Thursday Mar. 28th, the Staples Girls Varsity tennis team kicked off the preseason with a tough exhibition match against the Greens Farms Academy Dragons who are a perennial powerhouse in the state of Connecticut.

Melissa Beretta ’14 spoke highly of the Dragons: “They have a really competitive record and they are so talented as tennis players.”

Beretta, Gabi Titlebaum ‘15, Julia Bartimer ‘16, and Kelsey Shockey ’14 took the court in the singles matches, while Alex Collins ‘15, Avery Wallace ‘15, Callie Bartimer ‘16, Rachel Lieberman ‘14, Alexis Teixiera ‘13, Xenia Bradley ‘15, Frankie Lynch ‘13 and Lea Bradley ‘13 played the doubles matches.

Overall, out of  seven matches, the Wreckers managed to pull out three wins to the Dragons four.

Despite not coming out on top,  Beretta said, “This was definitely a win for us from the perspective of a team that was not expected to come out as strong as we did.”.

Captain Teixiera, explained that, “A lot of us knew how good GFA was and today we showed them and ourselves that we could go very far this year.”

Teix described this year’s team as “the best group of girls on the team during the time I’ve been on the team.”

This showed as the Wreckers went toe to toe with one of the best prep schools in the state and kept it close the whole way.

The day was highlighted by the Wreckers’ No. 1 singles player, Beretta, emerging victorious against the Dragons’ No. 1 Frankie Garofalo by a score of two sets to zero.

“I was very excited and proud that I was able to play so well against such a talented player,” said Beretta. “We both fought hard, and it was great to start the season off with a personal victory”

The Wreckers kick off the regular season on at 4:00 on April 4th with a match at home vs. New Canaan in what is sure to be another close competition.