By Nicki Thompson
For most students, the start of school also means the start of sports and for the student athletes here at William Peace University, that means the rivalry between Peace and Meredith also begins once again.
Peace and Meredith have been battling in sports for years on end. With the two schools only five minutes apart, it is a rivalry that is close to us all.
“The competition is really, really competitive,” said Amber Arnold, a senior defender for the women’s soccer team. Arnold said the games are ” exciting but also nerve wrecking. Coach Jenkins has always taken the Meredith games much more serious than the others.”
With fall on its way and more sports starting up again, the intense atmosphere of athletes preparing for their regular seasons is in the air.
“I am more nervous for that game than any other game,” Arnold said. “There is a lot of pressure to do well. The long standing rivalry really gets the team and I going.”
Out of all of the sports, all of the athletes above can agree that the women’s basketball team has the biggest rivalry.
“The rivalry between Peace and Meredith is so good because we live in the same town,” said junior and basketball player Cassidy Clark. “With us being so close, we know people on that team, and to have bragging rights over them for a whole year is way better than beating another team.”
Not all of the sports teams experience the same rivalry, including WPU’s tennis team.
“Meredith isn’t really that much different than any other team we play,” said Hannah Philbeck a sophomore tennis player. “Yes, there is competition, but every school comes with competition.” Philbeck says, “Meredith’s sportsmanship is better than any other team we play even though the competition is so high and I respect that.”
Of course with a high rivalry, winning is always something to have bragging rights over.
“We have not beaten them,” said Alyssa Gasperini, a sophomore forward for the women’s soccer team. “Meredith overall has a better program and they have had one longer than us. They also tend to get into our heads when we are about to play them. Despite all of that, I do believe we will beat them one day.”