By Olivia Pierry

With only a few weeks remaining until their season reaches an end, the RCDS Girls Varsity Squash team reflects on their goals, accomplishments, memories, and aspirations for both the upcoming and distant future. 

Captain Yana Thukral ‘26 states that from the beginning of the season, the team has “gotten a lot closer, not just in our dynamic, but we’ve all improved significantly. It’s been nice to see everyone come together and get to know each other, as that really impacts how we play.” Captain Alexandra Lynch ‘27 describes a similar environment, with her favorite memory being a day when the team was in practice: “we all were stretching by playing this game, and then we started singing and talking with the coaches… in the end, we just ended up staying thirty minutes extra… and it was very fun.”

When asked about their experiences on the team as freshmen, Lynch states: “I didn’t know many people as a freshmen… so I was a bit scared to hype up my teammates, but now as a junior, I feel very welcomed.” Thurkal, who had a similar experience, describes: “This year, by far, has been the strongest and closest team, because there is a lot of integration in between the grades. In my freshmen and sophomore year, it was very much divided between the grades, and so when I was a freshman, I was slightly scared to talk to the seniors, but I feel like this year is very different… I think this welcoming and inclusive atmosphere will carry on.”

Audrey Demong ‘29 talks about her experience as a freshmen on the team, saying “I think it’s super fun because I get to meet a lot of upperclassmen… I think it’s definitely intimidating, just because you’re new to the team and the dynamic, but it’s really great because I can see my team in the halls and build lots of new connections.” In terms of the support system within the team, Demong explains how wonderful both the captains and coaches are. She explains how Meredith Lorito, a new coach hired into the Rye Country Day community, adds to the support the players receive, as they can now count on two coaches and two captains. When asked about her goals for the team, Demong hopes “we win Division II Nationals or place top ten in Division I,” while aspiring to keep pushing and challenging herself until the end of this season and the seasons yet to come.