Good feelings surround badminton after triumph

 Winning the final match of the regular season can do wonders for a player’s outlook.

And Xavier Prep’s badminton team left the Chandler High gym on Thursday (Oct. 14) with smiles on their faces after a 5-4 victory over the host Wolves.

After a 3-3 deadlock at the end of singles play, the Gators survived with two victories in doubles, by the teams of Riley Dowdall and Sophia Bonilla and Lexi Garman and Caroline Cobb.

The Gators finished the regular season at 8-10-1 and now must wait to see if they qualify for the Division I team tournament, with the announcement likely coming from the Arizona Interscholastic Association next week.

Thursday’s results

Xavier Prep 5, Chandler High 4

Singles

Tegan Sanders, C, def. Jasmine Leyva, X, 21-15, 16-21, 21-9; Mattie Shumaker, C, def. Gigi Riviere, X, 21-12, 21-16; Sophia Bonilla, X, def. Sabina Guzman, C, 21-10, 21-15; Riley Dowdall, X, def. Adamaris Lopez Morales, C, 15-21, 21-12, 21-18; Lexi Garman, X, def. Isabella Mullen, C, 21-13. 21-12; Sofia Mullen, C, def. Caroline Cobb, X, 19-21, 21-16, 23-21.

Doubles

Shumaker-Sanders, C, def. Leyva-Riviere, X, 24-22, 21-16; Dowdall-Bonilla, X, def. Lopez Morales-Guzman, 21-10, 21-6; Garman-Cobb, X, def. S. Mullen-I. Mullen, C, 24-22, 21-19.