Ward Melville's Clara Muller and Rebecca Zhu win fourth doubles match to clinch Suffolk girls badminton title
Ward Melville wposes after winning the Suffolk girls badminton team championship against Commack on Monday at Smithtown East. Credit: Bob Sorensen
When Clara Muller and Rebecca Zhu were paired as Ward Melville’s fourth doubles team just days before the Suffolk girls badminton championship, they never expected just how big their moment on the court would be.
With the match between No. 4 Ward Melville and No. 3 Commack tied, all eyes were focused on the fourth-doubles court.
Muller and Zhu used a powerful finish in the first and second sets to defeat Commack’s Juliet Jackson and Hannah Krinsky, 21-18, 22-20, to clinch Ward Melville’s third straight county title in its 5-4 win on Monday at Smithtown East.
“We didn’t know it was going to come down to us because it has come down to the singles in past years,” Muller said. “We were grateful for the screams and cheers from the stands and our teammates.”
“We stayed focused and cheered each other on throughout the whole set,” Zhu said. “That’s what's great about having a partner on the court with you, you never want to give up for them.”
Muller, a sophomore, and Zhu, a junior, had only played singles in their tenure on the team but were excited for the opportunity to join forces when other teammates were absent.
“I had a lot of trust in her,” Muller said. “I honestly always wanted to play doubles with her because I saw how good she was."
Delaney Hart secured a 21-10, 21-9 win over Victoria Wroblewski to tie the score at 4 for the Patriots (14-2), who will face Great Neck South in the Long Island Championship on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Smithtown East.
“It’s been my match that the score has come down to in previous years, so it's very exciting for them to clinch the win for us,” Hart said. “It was a full team effort today.”
Ward Melville also picked up wins from Zoe Xiao, Angela Huang, and doubles tandem Julia Huang and Lily Hou. Commack finished its season 13-3.
