Smashing It in Upper Midwest Fall Divisional Division competition

November 19, 2023, kicked off the NCTTA 2023-24 Season with the Upper Midwest Fall Divisional Division competition in Vernon Hills, IL. The lineup included schools like Northwestern University, Purdue University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Notre Dame, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Purdue sent over 20 players, and I had the awesome chance to step onto the field as a key player for Purdue University's women's team.

On that day, I rolled out of bed at 4 am, and we took off from Purdue University just past 5 am. The trip to Vernon Hills, IL took about three hours. Under the dark sky, the scenery on the way didn't really grab my attention. My mind was more focused on the upcoming competition, shaking off any sleepiness. Northwestern University was known as a tough opponent, and for me in the U.S. for just three months, the challenge of playing on unfamiliar turf was no joke.

After we arrived, I quickly downed two pieces of chicken before jumping into the game. I played in four matches and won every game; surprisingly, my opponent struggled to return my serves. A couple of times, when the score hit 10:0, I had to ease up a bit to let my opponent gracefully finish the game. My body hadn't fully recovered from the journey fatigue, and before I could even warm up, the competition was over. In the end, the Purdue women's team snagged first place.

After the match, the team and I happily headed to a Japanese restaurant. By the time I got back to Purdue University's campus, it was already 11:30 at night. Huge shoutout to the players who took on the driving duty; they were headed back to the dorms even more wiped out.

This competition marked my first official event since joining Purdue University. I got a sense of my opponents' skills in the regional competition. What I regret the most is how quickly it ended—it's like a burp that comes and goes in a flash.