Tough One

Every year, the Nobles match is a highly anticipated event, it's become the de facto ISL championship game in recent seasons. While Groton has come away victorious for the past three years, the score often doesn’t fully reflect how close the battles truly are.

This year, Nobles entered the match with a renewed energy, determined to avenge their tough losses in previous years. Despite Groton taking early leads in doubles, the Nobles hitters kept their composure, staying steady and chipping away at the Zebra’s momentum to claim all three doubles points.

Heading into singles, Groton needed to win five of the six matches to secure the team victory. The Lady Zeebs started strong, claiming the first set in five of the singles contests. The #5 singles match would be the first to finish, with Groton’s player notching the team’s only point of the day.

However, things would take a turn in the other singles matchups. At both #6 and #4, Groton fought hard but ultimately lost in third-set tiebreakers. At #2 singles, Groton’s player battled through an abdominal injury but had to retire after dropping the second set. The #1 singles match, too, would go to a third-set tiebreaker, but with the team match already decided, both players agreed to call it a tie.

After a tough and intense match, the long weekend couldn’t have come at a better time for the Groton players. They now have the chance to rest, recover, and come back stronger for their next challenge.