SANFORD — The start to the new season didn’t go as the Richmond Senior High School girls’ tennis team hoped it would Tuesday.
Beginning their Sandhills Athletic Conference-only schedule on the road at Southern Lee High School, the Lady Raiders suffered a 7-2 loss.
Richmond earned one win in singles play by No. 4 sophomore Colbie Covington, while she and senior Madison Grimes also won their No. 2 doubles match.
“It was a tough way to start our season,” head coach Jessica Covington said. “We have a lot of work to do.
“But I’m proud of the girls for fighting for every point and never giving up. This is only our first match, so we can definitely use it to improve.”
Returning for her second season as a starter, No. 4 Colbie Covington defeated Quillen Petrara in convincing fashion 8-1 for her first singles win of the year.
Facing Petrara and Brook Burns in the No. 2 doubles match, Grimes and Covington put another tally on the board with an 8-4 win.
A trio of Lady Raiders — No. 2 junior Jentry Denson, No. 3 Grimes and No. 5 senior Kenleigh Parker — managed to stay close in their singles matches and make them competitive.
Denson, Grimes and Parker each lost 8-5 to Logan Hickman, Burns and Gina DeCerbo, respectively.
Rounding out singles play, No. 1 senior Hanna Smith fell 8-1 to Genesis Gonzalez and No. 6 senior Ava Thompson lost 8-0 against Zofia Porgorzelska.
In doubles play, the No. 1 pairing of Smith and Denson came up short 8-1 in their contest with Gonzalez and Hickman. The No. 3 duo of Parker and Thompson was shut out 8-0 by DeCerbo and Porgorzelska.
The Lady Raiders (0-1, 0-1 SAC) play on the road again Thursday at reigning conference champion Pinecrest High School (1-0). Singles play will start at 4 p.m.
