ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School girls’ tennis team faced a tough Pinecrest squad at home on Thursday.
Playing their second Sandhills Athletic Conference match of the new season, the Lady Raiders fell to the Lady Patriots 0-9.
Head coach Jessica Covington said that even with the loss, her team was able to learn a lot of things by playing a quality team like Pinecrest.
“We still need to move our feet more so we can attack the ball better, and it was good for our girls to see the way Pinecrest did it,” Covington said. “In doubles play tonight, I saw more movement on the court and I thought we did better.
“The girls also showed at times they can be aggressive and play well at the net,” she added. “These first two matches will definitely help us as we prepare for next week.”
Richmond’s closest match was in the No. 3 doubles contest, as seniors Kirsten McDonald and Mariah Waddell battled Anna Henry and Emma Medina. The pair of Lady Raiders held a 4-3 lead midway through the match, but fell 6-8.
The only other Lady Raider to record a point was junior Addison Massey in the No. 4 singles match. Competing against Livia Pratt, Massey fell by a final score of 1-8.
Each of the remaining five singles matches, and the other two doubles matches, saw the Lady Patriots win by scores of 8-0.
Richmond’s No. 1 Paris Almon lost to Brooke LaFrenz, No. 2 Neely Turner dropped her match to Annicey Pratt and No. 3 junior Maren Carter came up short to Estelle Kilpatrick.
No. 5 McDonald lost to Claire Gulley, and No. 6 Waddell was blanked by Sophia Pandich.
Almon and Turner faced Annicey Pratt and Kilpatrick in the No. 1 doubles match, and Carter and Massey lost to Gabby Hooper and Charli Bendon in the No. 2 doubles pairing.
Covington said another positive was getting several of her reserve players an opportunity to play in exhibition matches on Thursday.
Freshman Hanna Smith played against Hooper, winning 8-4, and junior newcomer Sheccid Heaton also played an exhibition match to get more experience.
Now 0-2 to start the season, the Lady Raiders will gear up for two more SAC matches next week. Richmond will travel to Hoke County on Tuesday and Union Pines on Thursday, with both matches beginning at 4 p.m.
