Golf Posts 15-1 Record, Starts First Girls’ Team Season Performance

Coming off its first undefeated season in over a decade, the expectations were set high for the golf team this season. Yet, with eight new players and the first ever girls’ golf team, Exeter golf was determined to impress again. The varsity team went 15-1 and set a record low score at the Andover Invitational, while both the new girls’ team and JV team went undefeated in their regular matches.

While Big Red golf had the majority of their players return from last season, they also saw the addition of 16 new players, extending their roster to a new degree of length and depth. Yet, the fresh roster provided its own challenges as well. Many of the new players, while promising, were inexperienced and needed help adjusting to the team. Senior and co-captain Zanny Merullo described how the more experienced golfers worked together to guide the newer players.

“We had a lot of improvement from our younger players,” she said. “I think some of the biggest factors to the team's success were the leadership of our older, better players and the passion from our top four that really trickled down to inspire everyone else.”

According to Merullo, the older players also worked hard to keep their teammates motivated during “long days and long golf practices.” However, their efforts certainly proved fruitful. When asked about the most influential factors of the team’s success this year, Coach Robert Bailey credited the overall strength of the team.

“I can’t really think of a highlight because we were so used to winning so much that we don’t see any of our wins as a highlight, they were just givens already. Our whole season was really a highlight.”

“The younger players always worked hard to get better,” he explained. “The veterans kept improving and the younger players made great strides.” Bailey also mentioned that during every practice there would always be a player who could lead the team, oftentimes one of the newer players stepping up to help his or her teammates.

As a new player on the team, lower Harry Saunders described its “home-like” atmosphere. He appreciated the work of two of the team’s captains, upper Charlie Dubiel and senior Steven DeLisio, in helping him improve.

“Steven DeLisio was a pleasure to practice with all season, and I learned a lot just watching him swing the golf club everyday,” Saunders explained. “The other captain, Charlie Dubiel, was also very supportive, giving me a lot of advice about how to navigate a match and deal with adversity. This season, the captains were instrumental to my transition from a casual golfer to a competitive player, who could remain confident under the pressure of a match.”

Upper and co-captain Stella Woo described the welcoming attitude of the team that the captains helped foster. “I loved the team spirit and just the overall personality of all members. We are all caring for one another and we really felt like a family during the term,” she said.

While the team was quick to grow close and prove their potential, they still faced the challenge of matching the success of their previous season. They also hoped to avenge their team’s previous third place finish in the Kingswood Oxford Tournament. Comprised of 23 private boarding schools, it is typically known as the most deciding match of the season.

The team started off strong this year with a 5-1 record. Their only loss came against Deerfield Academy, during a weekend in which several of their top players were missing due to outside tournaments. Determined to bounce back from this loss, the team went on to win their next 10 straight games and set a new record at the Andover Invitational with a low team score of 298. Dubiel and DiLisio were tied for medalist in this match with a score of 72.

Finally, in the Kingswood Oxford Tournament, the team capped off their season with an exciting win, placing first out of the 23 other teams. Senior Michael Kim tied for medalist at this tournament with a score of 73. Lower Daulet Tuleubayeva explained the excitement that came from the win.

“I'm really proud of our team. Both courses played really tough and it was really easy to shoot a high score, but everyone pulled through and put in all their effort, which is why we won. It really shows our team's close relationship, that no one was willing to give up even when they could have,” he said.

Similarly to Big Red golf’s varsity team, the new girls’ team also performed incredibly well, going undefeated in all their regular matches and placing third in the Pippy O'Connor Girls Golf Classic. Woo commented on what it was to play on a girls’ golf team for the first time.

“Even though it was our first year, we managed to beat all the schools we competed against and placed very well in the all girls independent school tournament,” she said. “We had great spirit and players which I think was the biggest factor that brought the success. The coaches were super supportive too.”

Indeed, it was another exciting season for all facets of the golf team this year. Even though Exeter golf fell of a repeat undefeated season, Tuleubayev described the year as even better than the prior one. When asked to choose a highlight, his response perfectly summed up the team’s success.

“I can’t really think of a highlight because we were so used to winning so much that we don’t see any of our wins as a highlight, they were just givens already,” he said. “Our whole season was really a highlight.”

While five members of the team will graduate today, the rest still have confidence in their ability to dominate next season. However, the seniors will be missed dearly by the team, and the graduating players will be sad to move on. Merullo thanked the golf team for the great memories it has provided her over the last two years, describing the team as a “huge part of her Exeter experience.”

“I will miss the camaraderie on this team and all the teasing from the second we got on the bus throughout the round and until we were dropped back off at school,” she said. “I will miss the teasing from Coach, I will miss the car rides to matches, I will miss having the opportunity to get out on the course every day and just enjoy the spring.”